Considering advanced prints from CME Group for natural gas futures markets, open interest rose by around 7.7K contracts at the end of last week, keeping the choppy activity well in place for yet another session. Volume, on the other hand, shrank markedly by around 166.4K contracts against the backdrop of persistent choppiness,

Natural Gas: Gains remain capped by $3.00

Friday’s decent gains in prices of natural gas were accompanied by rising open interest, leaving the door open to the continuation of the recovery in the very near term at least. That said, bulls face an initial hurdle at the weekly high of $2.86 (August 15) prior to the key resistance area around the $3.00 mark per MMBtu.