US natural gas prices climb

NEW YORK: US natural gas futures climbed about 4% to a one-week high on Friday on forecasts for higher demand next week than previously expected and as record amounts of gas flow to liquefied natural gas (LNG) export plants.

That price increase came despite record gas production and forecasts for mild weather and lower heating demand in two weeks that should allow utilities to keep pulling less gas from storage than usual through the end of December.

Analysts forecast there was currently around 8.7% more gas in storage than usual for this time of year.