1052 ET - U.S. natural gas inventories saw their smallest increase so far in the current injection season, trimming the surplus over the five-year average, EIA data show. Gas in underground storage rose by 16 billion cubic feet last week to 3,169 Bcf, which was 185 Bcf above the five-year average and 28 Bcf below the year-earlier level. The injection was smaller than the five-year average build for the week of 29 Bcf, and reduced the surplus from 198 Bcf the week before. Natural gas futures are off 3.1% at $2.727/mmBtu as a small storage increase was widely expected. Analysts in a Wall Street Journal survey had predicted a build of 18 Bcf.