Daily GPI

Change was in the air right from the outset of natural gas futures trading Wednesday. After opening higher in three out of the last four sessions, gas futures gapped lower at the opening bell Wednesday amid a concert of fund and local selling. However, when it became apparent that last week’s lows in the mid $2.70s were unobtainable, the market reversed its direction and climbed through several key levels of resistance in the last hour of trading. The August contract gained 15.3 cents to close at $3.042, its highest daily settle since July 3. At 151,295, volume was extremely heavy.

As several parent companies of the top natural gas pipelines face severe credit and liquidity problems, this could put a major crimp in future plans to bolster the nation’s energy infrastructure, both for gas and electricity, FERC Chairman Pat Wood told Congress Wednesday during a hearing examining energy infrastructure issues.

As several parent companies of the top natural gas pipelines face severe credit and liquidity problems, this could put a major crimp in future plans to bolster the nation’s energy infrastructure, both for gas and electricity, FERC Chairman Pat Wood told Congress Wednesday during a hearing examining energy infrastructure issues.

FERC Chairman Pat Wood on Wednesday told federal lawmakers his agency hopes to be able to hand over to Congress in the next two weeks an interim report on the status of its five-month investigation into allegations that suppliers manipulated natural gas and electricity prices in California and other western energy markets.

FERC Chairman Pat Wood on Wednesday told federal lawmakers his agency hopes to be able to hand over to Congress in the next two weeks an interim report on the status of its five-month investigation into allegations that suppliers manipulated natural gas and electricity prices in California and other western energy markets.

It was a volatile day on Wall Street for the utility and energy merchant sector Wednesday, opening with a heavy sell-off by frazzled investors, with calm finally restored by noon, as the intrepid stepped in to buy what they hope become good bargains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, which soared 488 points, carried with it nearly the entire energy marketplace, with few exceptions. Only two utilities, National Fuel Gas Co., off just over 1%, and Delta Natural Gas, down 4%, lost ground.

On a day that had virtually all traders mesmerized by the hemorrhaging of merchant energy values on Wall Street (see related stories), cash gas prices were mostly lower by small amounts Tuesday. Mild gains of a nickel or less at a few western points (intra-Alberta, Sumas and Kern River) were the exceptions to flat to as much as 40 cents lower (Transco Zone 6-NYC) numbers elsewhere.

As the Enron debacle continues to unfold, energy companies, financial institutions and insurance firms are realizing exactly how exposed their respective companies actually are. Since the Dynegy/Enron Corp. merger was called off, companies have been eager to distance themselves, as well as confess to investors their exposure levels to the teetering giant.

For the third time in as many trading sessions, natural gas futures sifted lower throughout much of the session after posting a strong opening print. However, while trading sessions on Friday and Monday finished with a late rally, Tuesday’s trading action saw little or no bounce, prompting bears to eye the downside and bulls to turn in their horns. The August contract finished at $2.889, down 5.8 cents for the session and just several ticks off its $2.885 low on the day.