US natural gas inventories increased by 67 billion cubic feet in the week ending October 9, falling short of market expectations for a 76 bcf build and marking a slowdown from the previous week’s 85 bcf injection. The latest addition was also smaller than the 80 bcf recorded during the same period last year and the five-year seasonal average of 90 bcf. Despite the below-forecast increase, total gas in storage rose to 3.567 trillion cubic feet. Inventories were 3.9% lower than a year earlier but remained 1.3% above the average for this time of year over the 2021–2025 period.