LONDON, Feb 12 (Reuters) - British wholesale gas prices were
mixed on Friday morning, with cold temperatures propping up the
within-day contract but forecasts of warmer weather curbing
future demand.
* The within-day contract was up 1 pence at 48
pence
per therm by 1042 GMT.
* The day-ahead contract was down 2 pence at 46
pence
per therm.
* Traders said forecasts for gas demand next week had been
cut,
with temperatures expected to rise after a cold snap across the
country.
* About 80% of British homes are heated using gas boilers,
meaning
changes in temperature can have a big impact on gas demand.
* Average temperatures in Britain were forecast at -1.6
degrees
Celsius for Friday, rising to 5.8C by Monday, Refinitiv Eikon
data showed.
* “Exceptionally cold weather shall end by this week and
temperature ramps up towards seasonal norm from next Monday
onwards,” Refinitiv analysts said in a daily research note.
* Local distribution zone (LDZ) demand, which is primarily
used
for heating, was forecast at 318 million cubic metres (mcm) for
Friday, falling to 236 mcm for Monday.
* The March contract was down 0.9 pence at
43.95
pence per therm.
* The day-ahead gas price at the Dutch TTF hub
was
down 0.55 euros at 17.55 euros per megawatt hour.
* The benchmark Dec-21 EU carbon contract was down
0.37
euros at 38.39 euros a tonne.
(Reporting by Susanna Twidale
Editing by David Goodman
)