Natural gas futures fell for the first time in four days on speculation last week’s 22 percent rally was unjustified. Prices for the industrial and power-plant fuel had their biggest weekly gain in more than two years after economic reports indicated the recession was easing. The advance came as an Energy Department report signaled ample supplies of gas to meet U.S. demand this year. “There was a lot of excitement on the jobs report last week being better than expected and now some of the that has worn off,” said Phil Flynn, senior trader at Alaron Trading Corp. in Chicago. “The weakness in the stock market and oil market is holding back natural gas.” Natural gas for June delivery fell 4 cents, or 0.9 percent, to $4.271 per million British thermal units at 9:59 a.m. on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Prices have declined 24 percent this year. Crude oil for June delivery fell 95 cents, or 1.6 percent, to $57.68 a barrel in New York. U.S. gas supplies jumped 95 billion cubic feet to 1.918 trillion in the week ended May 1, a report from the Energy Department showed on May 7. Inventories were 23 percent higher than the five-year average for that time of year. Industrial consumption of gas will decline 7.4 percent this year as factories close and demand slumps for steel, chemicals and plastic, the Energy Department predicted in a report on April 14. Manufacturers accounted for 29 percent of demand in 2008.

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