EIA Reports a Smaller-than-expected Climb In U.S. Natural-gas Supplies

Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration on Thursday showed that domestic supplies of natural gas rose by 28 billion cubic feet for the week ended Aug. 4. On average, analysts were looking for a build of 37 billion cubic feet, according to commodity brokerage firm iiTRADER. Total stocks now stand at 3.038 trillion cubic feet, down 275 billion cubic feet from a year ago, but 61 billion cubic feet above the five-year average, the government said. September natural gas was up 5.2 cents, or 1.8%, from Wednesday's settlement to $2.938 per million British thermal units. It traded at $2.898 before the data.