MW: Natural-gas prices fall further after EIA data
By Myra P. Saefong
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Natural-gas futures fell Thursday after the Energy Information Administration reported a decline in U.S. inventories that was smaller than expected. Supplies fell 118 billion cubic feet for the week ended Feb. 1, the EIA said. Analysts polled by Platts forecast a decline between 122 billion and 126 billion cubic feet. Total stocks now stand at 2.864 trillion cubic feet, down 226 billion cubic feet from the year-ago level and 351 billion cubic feet above the five-year average, the government said. March natural gas NGH13 -0.18% was at $3.35 per million British thermal units, down 6 cents, or 1.9%. It was trading around $3.41 shortly before the data.
