Weakest

Last year Canada’s natural gas and oil producers suffered their weakest performance since 2002, but the downturn prepared the country’s energy sector for a promising future, according to the Canadian Annual Energy Survey, an annual review of the top producers by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

The Northeast, with its relatively moderate weather for late November, tended to be the weakest market area in Monday’s post-holiday spot trading. Otherwise, numbers were mixed in the Gulf Coast and seeing major rallies solidly across the Midcontinent/Midwest and West.

Despite flatness at a few mostly western points, the overallmarket pushed higher by around a nickel or so Tuesday. Electricgeneration stresses had faded in the Northeast, but early screensupport and rising air conditioning load in the South-and to amilder extent in the Midwest-combined for the cash gains.