August natural gas futures on the New York Mercantile Exchange edged higher through midday Thursday after the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported a storage injection that matched expectations, leaving the market focused on ample natural gas supplies. NGI's Entropic Analytics estimated electric power demand averaged 50.8 Bcf/d over the past seven days, underscoring the impact of persistent summer heat on natural gas-fired generation despite normal day-to-day fluctuations. EIA reported a 32 Bcf injection into storage for the week ended July 17, slightly tighter than most market expectations. Working gas inventories climbed to 3,056 Bcf, leaving stocks 16 Bcf below year-earlier levels and 183 Bcf above the five-year average. Early estimates shared with The Desk ranged from a 25 Bcf to 45 Bcf injection, compared with the five-year average build of 26 Bcf for the same week.