Natural Gas Holds Gains After Weekly Supply Data

Natural-gas futures on Thursday held onto their gains after the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that supplies of natural gas declined by 198 billion cubic feet for the week ended March 6. Analysts surveyed by Platts forecast a decline of between 188 billion cubic feet and 192 billion cubic feet. Total stocks now stand at 1,512 trillion cubic feet, up 483 billion cubic feet from a year ago and 225 billion cubic feet below the five-year average, the government said. April natural gas was at $2.84 per million British thermal units, up 1.3 cents. It was trading around $2.85 before the data.