1517 ET - U.S. natural gas futures make a modest advance with temperatures expected to heat up into next week, favoring power-sector demand. "Although heat has intensified across Texas and overall gas demand is approaching its strongest levels of the season, the market remains focused on healthy storage inventories, softer summer LNG feedgas, and power generation demand that continues to trail recent years," Andy Huenefeld of Pinebrook Energy Advisors says in anote. At the same time, "the approaching shoulder season is increasingly coming into focus," he adds. Nymex natural gas settles up 1.2% at $2.781/mmBtu.