Natural gas futures shed over four percent before the weekend

Natural gas futures shed over four percent in American trade, shrugging off the dollar's drop, which follows earlier data from China, the world'a second largest energy consumer, and amid a lack of data from the U.S., the world's largest energy consumer, as markets witness the leadership change taking place in the White House today.
 
As of 08:21 GMT, natural gas futures due on February 14 tumbled 4.16% to $3.228 a cubic feet, compared to the opening of $3.368, with a session-low at $3.200, and a high at $3.369.
 
Earlier data from China showed the GDP up 6.8% in the fourth quarter, up from 6.7% in the third quarter, while the quarterly seasonally-adjusted reading for the same quarter showed a slowdown in growth to 1.7%, matching expectations and down from 1.8% previously.

China's industrial production and fixed-rate investments slowed down as well, as retail sales rose y/y, besting analysts' expectations.

Yesterday, the Energy Information Administration released its report on U.S. natural gas storage, showing a yawning in the deficit to 243 billion cubic feet in the week ending January 13, up from 151B in the previous reading, and above expectations of 235b, with total inventories now reaching 2.917 trillion cubic feet, down from 3.130 trillion, falling for the sixth week in a row, and below the level reached in the same period last year at 3.348 trillion, and lower than the five-year average at 2.994 trillion.