Utilities Sector Edges Up as Fed Outlook Softens

Natural gas futures climbed 4% to cap a three-day winning streak, fueled by weather forecasts predicting higher temperatures and a subsequent surge in electricity-sector demand. While the Energy Information Administration reported a 76 billion cubic feet injection into storage for the past week, the figure arrived slightly above the 70 billion cubic feet expected by analysts in a Wall Street Journal survey.

Though the build aligns closely with historical five-year averages, analysts at Gelber & Associates noted that this surplus could potentially temper the impact of rising consumption. The market remains sensitive to these supply-side nuances, balancing the immediate cooling demand against the broader macroeconomic environment.