Dow Jones - Natural Gas Prices Slip Ahead of Inventory Data

DJ Natural Gas Prices Slip Ahead of Inventory Data



  By Nicole Friedman


  NEW YORK--Natural gas prices fell Thursday to the lowest level since December ahead of weekly inventory data expected
to show a smaller-than-average withdrawal from storage.

  Futures for March delivery recently fell 4.3 cents, or 2.1%, to $1.995 a million British thermal units on the New
York Mercantile Exchange.

  Analysts surveyed by The Wall Street Journal expect the Energy Information Administration to report that stockpiles
fell by 159 billion cubic feet last week, less than the 165-bcf five-year-average draw for this time of year. The EIA
is due to release inventory data at 10:30 a.m. ET.

  If the storage estimate is correct, inventories as of Jan. 29 totaled 2.927 trillion cubic feet, 20% above levels
from a year ago and 18% above the five-year average for the same week.

  Physical gas for next-day delivery at the Henry Hub in Louisiana last traded at $2.04/mmBtu, compared with
Wednesday's range of $2.05 to $2.07. Cash prices at the Transco Z6 hub in New York last traded between $1.90 and
$2.085/mmBtu, compared with Wednesday's range of $1.75 to $1.925.


   Write to Nicole Friedman at nicole.friedman@wsj.com


  (END) Dow Jones Newswires

  February 04, 2016 10:24 ET (15:24 GMT)

  Copyright (c) 2016 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

020416 15:24 -- GMT
------