Weekend

Touchstone Energy is planning to launch a national brandingcampaign this weekend with television, radio and print ads in 20major American markets, primarily to keep as many of its 11 millionretail customers from getting cherry-picked by power marketers. Andit is considering adding natural gas, propane, telecommunicationsand security services to its future energy mix.

Cash numbers finished the week slightly higher as various pointsranged from flat to 5-6 cents higher Friday. It was difficult togeneralize with several regions containing both flat andnickel-higher points. The larger gains were seen at Henry Hub, TGTZone 1, Tennessee Zone 0, Columbia-Appalachia, Texas Eastern M-3and the Chicago citygate.

Cash markets settled down for the weekend Friday with flat toslightly softer prices prevailing. Most of the declines of 2-4cents were concentrated in the Gulf Coast and Appalachia/Northeast.

The March Nymex futures contract fell another 1.9 cents to$2.198 Friday, as traders continued the falloff in prices theystarted on Thursday. “This was not a case of traders gunning forstops, where they try to push the contract under support hoping thecontract will fall even more. This was simply an extension ofThursday,” a broker said.