EUROPE GAS-Prices rangebound amid softer demand, warmer temperatures

LONDON, May 9 (Reuters) - Dutch and British wholesale gas prices continued to trade in a narrow range amid softer demand and higher temperatures.

The benchmark Dutch front-month contract TRNLTTFMc1 inched up 0.17 euro to 35.30 euros per megawatt hour (MWh), or $11.27/mmBtu, at 0900 GMT, while the July contract edged up by 0.52 euro to 35.67 euros/MWh, according to LSEG data.

The British June contract TRGBNBPMc1 was down 0.57 pence at 84.96 p/therm and the day-ahead contract TRGBNBPD1 was down by 1.55 pence at 81.10 p/therm.

Average temperatures in north-west Europe are expected to be 2 degrees Celsius higher on the day-ahead.

Local distribution zone demand, mainly used for heating, is forecast to be 335 gigawatt hours per day (GWh/d) lower at 1,126 GWh/d on the day-ahead, and slightly higher over the weekend and working days next week, LSEG data showed.

"Combined with bullish technical indicators, we expect TTF (day-ahead) to continue rising moderately," said LSEG analyst Dzmitry Dauhalevich.

Total Norwegian exports are nominated 30 million cubic meters per day (mcm) higher at 284 mcm/day.

The European Parliament voted on Thursday in favour of loosening the EU's rules on filling gas storage, agreeing with concerns from member states that the targets risk inflating energy prices.

In the European carbon market, the benchmark contract CFI2Zc1 was up 0.30 euro at 71.03 euros per metric ton.