Natural-gas prices climb as U.S. supplies fall more than expected

Natural-gas futures climbed on Thursday after the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that supplies of the commodity fell 76 billion cubic feet for the week ended Dec. 4. Analysts polled by Platts expected a decline of between 59 billion cubic feet and 63 billion cubic feet. Total stocks now stand at 3.880 trillion cubic feet, up 514 billion cubic feet from a year ago and 236 billion cubic feet above the five-year average, the government said. January natural gas was at $2.083 per million British thermal units, 2.1 cents, or 1%. Prices traded $2.062 before the supply data.

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