Upticks

As many traders had expected, the moderation of cold weather ineastern markets and the screen’s expiration-day dive were enough todrive the late-March swing market sharply lower in nearly all casesThursday. Only new increases at the Southern California border andPG&E citygate defied the overall downtrend.

Except for OFO-inspired upticks in Northern California, the restof the cash market was on a downhill track Tuesday following theholiday weekend. Most declines were in the range of 20-30 cents,but tended to be larger in the Northeast and got as high as about70 cents at the Southern California border.

Prices continued to fall in most markets Tuesday, but at aconsiderably slower pace than the previous day’s plunges. Mostdecreases were around 30 cents or less, while California points andStanfield achieved gains from a little less than a dime to about 35cents as more seasonable weather returned to the West Coast.

Except for moderate California upticks, the cash marketcontinued to soften Friday but by much smaller amounts than the daybefore. Most points ranged from flat to down about 30 cents, butdeclines were larger at Stanfield and several Northeast citygates.

Except for some upticks in San Juan Basin and at Northeastcitygates (especially strong in both of Transco’s Zone 6 pools),late-December swing prices stayed on a downhill slide Wednesday.Declines ranged from mildly softer to more than $2 lower atStanfield, but most were within the range of 40-70 cents.

Lacking little new input from weather or futures, the cashmarket decided to take it easy for the most part Tuesday. Flat toslightly higher pricing dominated in most areas, with most of thelarger gains of about a dime or more occurring at Rockies/San Juanpoints.

Most cash points continued their rise yesterday, but thepredominantly bullish sentiment among traders that was evidentearlier in the week showed signs of cracking. Few gains exceededmore than a nickel, while the scattered declining points fell nomore than a penny or two.

Weekend prices were up by a few cents from end-of-March numbersin most cases Friday. The biggest upticks of about a dime or morewere concentrated at Northeast citygates and also at NorthernNatural’s demarc and Ventura points, where a bit of market-areachill lingered. Small declines of less than a nickel wereregistered in the Southwest basins and California.

Most of the cash market ranged from flat to a little over anickel higher Monday, but that mild showing of firmness isn’texpected to survive into today.