Natural gas futures faltered on Friday, ending a five-day streak of positive finishes. Traders focused on a shift in weather forecasts that pointed to a potential delay in the onset of widespread freezing temperatures from early in the third full week of January to later in the month.

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The February Nymex gas futures contract settled at $2.700/MMBtu, down 2.9 cents day/day. March shed 3.5 cents to $2.656.

NGI’s Spot Gas National Avg. eked out a modest gain, rising 1.5 cents to $2.780.

Bespoke Weather Services said Friday its latest outlook drifted warmer than forecasts earlier in the week. “This not only has warmed up the nearer-term outlook but has delayed the attempt in the 11- to 15-day to generate a true cold air mass up in Canada,” the firm said. “The market is...