U.S. natural-gas prices fell sharply on Monday, with the front-month Henry Hub contract dropping as much as 5% to $2.93 per million British thermal units. The slide pushed the benchmark below the psychologically important $3 threshold during afternoon trading in New York. The retreat extends a tumultuous year in which futures have swung between $1.50 and $4.50 amid fluctuating weather-driven demand and steadily rising domestic production. Commodity-trading adviser Q-CTA said its systematic funds have flipped to a modest net-short position of ‑0.02, signaling broader de-risking as bearish momentum builds. Persistently soft prices are bolstering expectations that U.S. retail gasoline could average below $3 a gallon later this fall, adding a potential tailwind for consumers but intensifying pressure on producers already contending with narrow margins.