EIA reports a smaller-than-expected decline in U.S. natural-gas supplies

The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported on Thursday that domestic supplies of natural gas fell by 36 billion cubic feet for the week ended March 19. That compares with a decline of 44 billion cubic feet forecast by IHS Markit. Total stocks now stand at 1.746 trillion cubic feet, down 263 billion cubic feet from a year ago and 78 billion cubic feet below the five-year average, the government said. Following the data, April natural gas turned higher, trading up by 5.9 cents, or 2.3%, at $2.577 per million British thermal units. It traded at $2.515 shortly before the data.

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