The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported on Thursday that domestic supplies of natural gas declined by 128 billion cubic feet for the week ended Jan. 22. On average, the data were expected to show a drop of 136 billion cubic feet for the week, according to analysts polled by S&P; Global Platts. Total stocks now stand at 2.881 trillion cubic feet, up 78 billion cubic feet from a year ago, and 244 billion cubic feet above the five-year average, the government said. Following the data, March natural gas NGH21, -3.81% was down 6.6 cents, or 2.4%, to $2.636 per million British thermal units. It traded at $2.658 shortly before the data.