Ahead of the Bell: Natural gas supplies

NEW YORK (AP) — The Energy Department is expected to report on Thursday that the nation's natural gas supplies shrank by 9 billion to 13 billion cubic feet in the week ended Nov. 23, according to a survey of analysts by Platts, the energy information arm of McGraw-Hill Cos.

A draw of that size compares with the 2 billion cubic feet put in storage in the comparable week a year ago and the five-year average draw of 18 billion cubic feet.

The Energy Information Administration releases its weekly report at 10:30 a.m. EST.