Energy Update

(New throughout, adds analyst comments and oil price moves on the week) By Barani Krishnan April 8 (Reuters) - Money managers slashed their bullish exposure in U.S. crude by the most in three months ahead of a sharp oil price rally this week, trade data showed on Friday. The managers of hedge funds and other investment firms that speculate on oil cut their net longs in U.S. crude options and futures by 21,831 contracts to 177,504 for the week ended Tuesday, the Commodity Futures T

April 8 (Reuters) - U.S. natural gas speculators switched their positions from net short to net long for the first time since December 2014 as the market focuses on higher prices related to a brief increase in heating demand during a lingering cold spell in April.

QUITO, April 8 (Reuters) - Delegations from Latin American oil exporters Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and Venezuela met in Quito on Friday to discuss a proposed output freeze and other methods to bolster international crude prices.

NEW YORK, April 8 (Reuters) - The steep decline and subsequent rebound in the U.S. stock market over the first three months of the year were a boon to U.S.