Ahead of the Bell: Natural gas supplies

NEW YORK — The Energy Department is expected to report on Thursday that the nation's natural gas supplies shrank by 160 billion to 164 billion cubic feet in the week ended Feb. 17, according to a survey of analysts by Platts, the energy information arm of McGraw-Hill Cos.

A draw at that level would be more than the withdrawal of 102 billion cubic feet in the same week a year ago, and above the five-year average draw of 145 billion cubic feet for that period.

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