To: Sergio H who wrote (19852 ) 5/10/2000 6:00:00 PM From: Ditchdigger Respond to of 29382
NG on the move!!! Storage Fears Drive Jun to 3-year High May 10-MAR-- [B] NY Natural Gas Review: Storage fears drive Jun to 3-year high By Peter Rosenthal, BridgeNews New York--May 10--NYMEX Jun Henry Hub natural gas futures ended up 13.2 cents at $3.315 per MMBtu, soaring to a 3-year, spot-month high as the latest American Gas Association data renewed fears that storage levels are too low. Jly gained 14.4 cents to end at $3.350 per MMBtu. * * * "Low storage now means even lower storage levels going into winter," said Aaron Kildow, analyst at Prudential Securities. "The whole curve moved up, which is interesting." The AGA reported this afternoon that storage grew 58 bcf last week, at the low end of most expectations. Domestic storage typically grows by at least 70 bcf in the first week of May and analysts had predicted an injection below that would prompt traders to cover short positions. "A lot of commercials are big buyers, I just expect more upside," a broker said. "This probably points to $3.500." The 58-bcf injection widened the year-to-year deficit to 363 bcf, or 21%, and the latest figure has renewed concern that U.S. demand will outstrip production this summer, when inventories typically are refilled for the winter. An unusual early-May heat wave has added to those concerns, especially as more gas-fired power plants are expected to be online this year than last. "They're already factoring in a low number for next week," a broker said. OUTLOOK: Jun is poised to move higher Thursday, after setting fresh contract highs and landing at its highest close since November 1997. "After this move, what's another 10c," an analyst said. More The Bridge ID for this story is 01906