1501 ET - U.S. natural gas for February delivery jumps in a last-minute flurry to settle at a more than three-year high. The impact of winter storm Fern, which lifted heating demand while freezing in production, has led analysts to reassess likely storage levels by the end of the winter season. Tomorrow's EIA report is expected to show a 233 Bcf withdrawal for last week, according to a WSJ survey. The report "is simply going to set the stage for a much larger withdrawal report coming next week, which some analysis is showing could rival the largest single week draw ever reported," Gary Cunningham of Tradition Energy says in a note. The February contract goes off the board up 7.3% at $7.460/mmBtu. Gas for March delivery falls 2.3% to $3.732/mmBtu.(anthony.harrup@wsj.com)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 28, 2026 15:01 ET (20:01 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.