Low European gas storage also continued to support prices, analysts said.
EU gas storage sites were last 56.39% full, just 0.4 percentage points off their historic low for the time of year seen in 2021, Gas Infrastructure Europe data showed.
Meanwhile, flows of pipeline gas from Norway were steady at 327.6 mcm per day, little changed day on day, data by infrastructure operator Gassco showed.
In the European carbon market, the benchmark contract was up €0.87 at €82.16 per metric ton.
Hormuz transit and heatwave demand keep traders cautious
News of the first Qatari liquefied natural gas cargo to exit the Strait of Hormuz in nearly three weeks suggests some improvement in flows, but it is still too early to view this as a move toward normalisation, analysts at UBS said in a note.
With some LNG shipments via Hormuz still taking place, prices are not expected to show a steeper increase at the moment, Florence Schmit, senior energy strategist at Rabobank, said in a note.
LNG transit had picked up slightly in June and July, and while these volumes were negligible compared with what used to pass through the Strait, it provided some optimism to markets that flows can resume once hostilities ease, she added.
Still, the geopolitical backdrop remains fragile, leaving the market vulnerable to renewed volatility, analysts at Mind Energy said in a morning note.
"The recurring risk of another heatwave hitting continental Europe is also adding support," they added.
For now, the demand side is largely unchanged with the hottest weather hitting southern Europe including Italy, and some somewhat milder, albeit still above normal temperatures, in northern central Europe, LSEG analyst Ulrich Weber said.
European gas prices little changed as supply and weather risks stay in focus
Benchmark Dutch and British wholesale gas prices were largely unchanged on Friday morning, with the market closely watching for signs of more LNG tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz and the potential demand impact from a new heatwave in parts of Europe.
The benchmark Dutch front-month contract at the TTF hub lifted by €0.05 to €58.37 per megawatt hour (MWh) by 0821 GMT, ICE data showed.
The British front-month contract was up by 0.22 pence at 142.69 pence per therm.
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