FX.co ★ US Natgas Pares Losses After EIA Data

US natural gas futures pared earlier losses to trade near $2.83 per MMBtu on Thursday after the EIA reported a storage build largely in line with expectations, while LNG feedgas flows continued to soften amid spring maintenance. Energy firms injected a near-normal 85 billion cubic feet of gas into storage last week, matching consensus forecasts and closely tracking the five-year average build of 84 billion cubic feet. Total inventories climbed to 2.29 trillion cubic feet, about 2.3% above levels a year ago and 6.5% above the seasonal norm. LNG feedgas deliveries to major US export facilities have fallen from an April record of 18.8 billion cubic feet per day to roughly 17.0 bcfd so far in May, with further slippage to a 15-week low near 15.9 bcfd as maintenance at plants including Golden Pass and Freeport LNG weighs on flows. Domestic output has also edged down to an average of 109.2 bcfd so far in May, while weather forecasts point to largely normal conditions through late May.