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

Natural-gas futures turned lower Thursday after the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that supplies of natural gas fell by 49 billion cubic feet for the week ended Dec. 30. That was well below the 106 billion cubic feet expected by Citi Futures. Total stocks now stand at 3.311 trillion cubic feet, down 364 billion cubic feet from a year ago and 21 billion cubic feet below the five-year average, the government said. February natural gas lost 9.1 cents, or 2.8%, to $3.176 per million British thermal units. It traded at $3.288 before the data.