Natural gas futures action was quiet on Friday, with traders content leaving their positions intact amid little fresh news to drive prices one way or the other. The May Nymex gas futures contract closed the week at $2.526, up only four-tenths of a cent from Thursday’s close. June slipped two-tenths of a cent to $2.605.

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Spot gas prices were mostly higher outside of the Northeast, but sharp losses there sent the NGI Spot Gas National Avg. down 1.0 cent to $2.265.

Friday marked the second day in a row in which the prompt Nymex futures contract barely budged. “The May contract is trapped,” said EBW Analytics Group LLC.

Though a significantly warmer shift in weather forecasts after the Easter weekend drove a substantial collapse in prices early in the week, any subsequent...