Nat. GAS Futures Hit Fresh 6-Year Low Ahead Of Expiration
HOUSTON -- Natural-gas futures fell to a fresh 6-year low Friday under pressure from robust storage levels and the expiration of the April futures contract.
Natural gas for April delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange recently traded 22.8 cents, or 5.78%, lower at $3.719 a million British thermal units. The contract sank to a low of $3.668/MMBtu -- the lowest since September 2002.
"The run-up earlier in the week had nothing to support it," said Larry Young, a trader with Infinity Futures in Chicago. "Now we've come back to reality and are looking to make new lows."
Natural gas prices have fallen about 73% since hitting an intraday peak last July of $13.694/MMBtu. The contract fell nearly 9% on Thursday after the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported a surprise build in natural gas storage.
Natural gas in U.S. storage for the week ended March 20 stood at 1.654 trillion cubic feet -- 29% higher than year-ago levels and 20% above the five-year average.
Tim Evans, an analyst with Citi Futures Perspective in New York, wrote in a note to clients that the Friday expiration of the April futures contract was adding time pressure to the trade and contributing to volatility.
"The buyers are just stepping back from the market, confident that prices are unlikely to snap back any time soon," Evans wrote.
HOUSTON -- Natural-gas futures fell to a fresh 6-year low Friday under pressure from robust storage levels and the expiration of the April futures contract.
Natural gas for April delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange recently traded 22.8 cents, or 5.78%, lower at $3.719 a million British thermal units. The contract sank to a low of $3.668/MMBtu -- the lowest since September 2002.
"The run-up earlier in the week had nothing to support it," said Larry Young, a trader with Infinity Futures in Chicago. "Now we've come back to reality and are looking to make new lows."
Natural gas prices have fallen about 73% since hitting an intraday peak last July of $13.694/MMBtu. The contract fell nearly 9% on Thursday after the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported a surprise build in natural gas storage.
Natural gas in U.S. storage for the week ended March 20 stood at 1.654 trillion cubic feet -- 29% higher than year-ago levels and 20% above the five-year average.
Tim Evans, an analyst with Citi Futures Perspective in New York, wrote in a note to clients that the Friday expiration of the April futures contract was adding time pressure to the trade and contributing to volatility.
"The buyers are just stepping back from the market, confident that prices are unlikely to snap back any time soon," Evans wrote.
