Natural-gas Futures Extend Gains After EIA Reports Smaller-than-expected Rise In U.S. Supplies

Natural-gas futures extended their gains on Thursday after the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that supplies of the commodity rose 22 billion cubic feet for the week ended August 12. That was below the average rise of 28 billion cubic feet expected by analysts polled by S&P Global Platts. Total stocks now stand at 3.339 trillion cubic feet, up 327 billion cubic feet from a year ago and 405 billion cubic feet above the five-year average, the government said. September natural gas climbed 3.3 cents, or 1.3%, from Wednesday's settlement to $2.652 per million British thermal units. It traded at $2.638 before the data.