Hedge funds are more bullish about US natural gas prices than at any time for almost three years, according to position records published by regulators and exchanges. Fund managers had boosted their net long position for five consecutive weeks by a total of 1,082 billion cubic feet, taking it to the highest level since May 2014. Hedge fund long positions outnumbered short positions by a ratio of nearly 3.6:1 on April 4, up from just 2.2 on February 28, and nearing the recent high of 4.2 on January 17.