1531 ET - U.S. natural gas futures settle higher, rising for a second week in a row thanks to hot summer weather driving electricity-sector use to meet air conditioning demand. Gains have been modest in up-and-down trade, as strong production and an inventory surplus limit rally attempts and the market looks increasingly beyond August to cooler shoulder-season weather. "Currently most traders feel inventories remain ample entering the fall shoulder season, and the latest buying looks to be mostly short-covering," Dennis Kissler of BOK Financial says in a note. Nymex natural gas settles at $2.773/mmBtu, up 1.5% on the week.