Natural gas futures ticked lower Friday, but posted a gain for the week, as traders weighed exceptionally low storage levels against expectations of reduced demand next week. Natural gas for March delivery settled down 0.9 cent, or 0.2%, at $5.214 a million British thermal units on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Prices rose 9.2% this week as colder-than-average temperatures continued to boost demand for the heating fuel, eating away at natural-gas stockpiles. About half of U.S. households use natural gas as their primary heating fuel, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Futures surged 8.3% Thursday, after government data showed that supplies as of Feb. 7 stood 27% below the five-year average level for the week. The natural-gas contract for March […]