Natural gas prices extended their slide Thursday after weekly U.S. data showed demand slumped last week, reinforcing the bleak outlook for gas-fired heating demand in the waning days of a tepid winter. Natural gas futures lost 2.3% to settle at $1.6390 a million British thermal units on the New York Mercantile Exchange, extending a 34% slide since early January. The market is trading at its lowest level in 17 years. Robust output from U.S. shale production and weak demand thanks to mild winter weather have weighed on the market. The U.S. Energy Information Administration said domestic inventories fell 48 billion cubic feet last week, roughly in line with analyst projections in a survey by The Wall Street Journal that it would fall by 42 bcf. The number was far lower than the 137 bcf-decline normally seen at this time of year. Gas stockpiles are drawn down during the winter […]