Technicians

June futures made an initial attempt to rally Tuesday, but market technicians observed that the market failed to breach important resistance areas and prices settled slightly lower. At the close of trading June had eased 0.1 cent to $4.345 and July had shed 0.2 cent to $4.391. July crude oil surged $1.89 to $99.59/bbl.

In another session marked by choppy trading activity, natural gas futures shuffled sideways Friday as bullish technicians and bearish analysts clashed in the court of industry opinion. And while each trading faction had its moments, little was resolved by Friday’s $6.51 close, which was down just 1.1 cents for the session and near the middle of the market’s wide $6.350-625 daily trading range.

With little fresh fundamental news of its own, the natural gas futures market was a slave to the whims of other markets’ traders Friday. After dropping lower at the opening bell in sympathy with 30-cent losses in the cash market, natural gas futures regrouped and trended higher during the open-outcry session, as buyers fed off the strength in the nearby crude oil pit.

Following Wednesday’s 50-cent plus sell-off, natural gas futuresfound at least a temporary bottom yesterday as traders got a headstart covering shorts before the holiday weekend. Gains were almostuniform across the board as buyers spread buying across all of thecontracts. The 12-month strip advanced 6.7 cents to close at $5.579and the March contract finished 7.6 cents stronger at $5.594.

Fueled by yet another bullish storage report released Wednesdayafternoon that dovetailed with an increasingly optimistic technicaloutlook, natural gas futures rocketed higher yesterday as localsand commercial traders reentered the market as buyers. However,after cresting near the all-time prompt month high of $4.60 earlyin the afternoon, the July contract was hit with a light wave ofprofit taking into the close. Nevertheless, July finished with aneat 17.3 cents gain to $4.551.

Adding to Monday’s 18-cent price slide the futures marketdribbled lower yesterday as traders factored warming temperaturesinto prices and hunted for sell-stops amid two distinct sellingsurges.