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Natural-gas prices rally after supply data ( NGK14 ) by Myra P. Saefong

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Natural-gas futures on Thursday rallied after the U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION REPORTED that supplies of natural gas rose 24 billion cubic feet for the week ended April 11. That was less than the market expected as analysts surveyed by Platts forecast an increase of between 34 billion cubic feet and 38 billion cubic feet. Total stocks now stand at 850 billion cubic feet, down 850 billion cubic feet from a year ago and 1 trillion cubic feet below the five-year average, the government said. May natural gas (NGK14) was at $4.69 per million British thermal units, up 16 cents, or 3.4%. It was trading lower at $4.51 before the data.