Natural gas prices edge up after inventories fell for twelfth week in a row

Natural gas futures tilted higher in American trade, shrugging off the dollar's rise, which follows a spate of data from the U.S., the world's largest energy consumer, including the weekly EIA report that showed a drawdown in U.S. natural gas inventories for the twelfth week in a row.
 
As of 09:26 GMT, natural gas futures due on March 16 rose 0.03% to $3.127 per million British thermal units from the opening price of $3.126, with an intraday high at $3.189, and a low at $3.110, while the dollar index rose 0.37% to 100.65 from the opening of 100.29.
 
Earlier data from the world's largest economy showed unemployment claims down sharply to 234 thousand in the week ending February 4 from 246K in the previous reading, while analysts expected a rise to 249K.

Continuing claims on the other hand rose by 14 thousand to 2.078 million in the week ending January 28, from 2.064M in the previous reading, and above expectations of 2.065M.

Also, Federal Open Market Committee member Charles Evans spoke today  about the economy and monetary policy at the Chartered Financial Analysts's Society of Chicago.

Finally, the Energy Information Administration released its report on U.S. natural gas stocks, showing a drawdown of 152 billion cubic feet in the week ending February 3, adding to the previous reading's 155B drop, while slightly missing expectations of a 155B drawdown, with the total now reaching 2.559 trillion cubic feet, down from 2.711 trillion in the week ending January 27, which is lower than the same period in 2016 at 2.884 trillion, while higher than the five-year average at 2.514 trillion.