Friday, January 25, 2013

"Front U.S. natural gas futures end down for 4th day"

Silha and the Reuters team are probably the best general interest writers currently scribbling on natty.
From Reuters:

* Front-month futures slip 3.4 percent this week
    * High storage, production still weigh on prices
    * Above normal nuclear plant outages lend support

 (Releads, adds analyst quote, Baker Hughes rig data, updates
prices)
    By Joe Silha
    NEW YORK, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Most U.S. natural gas futures
ended slightly higher on Friday, but the front-month contract
lost ground for a fourth day on forecasts for milder weather
early next week that should slow heating demand.
    Traders said the nearby contract was due for a technical
pullback after climbing 7.2 percent last week ahead of this
week's cold. That was the biggest weekly gain in two months. 
    While still-high inventories and record production have also
weighed on prices - the front contract lost 3.4 percent this
week - most traders see only limited downside in the near term,
with nuclear plant outages still running above normal and
another shot of arctic air expected later next week.
    Front-month February gas futures on the New York
Mercantile Exchange, which expire on Tuesday, ended down 0.2
cent at $3.444 per million British thermal units after trading
in a fairly narrow range between $3.411 and $3.48. Most other
months ended 1-2 cents higher....MUCH MORE