U.S. refinery utilization rates declined in the latest week, with the indicator falling to -0.7% week-over-week as of 05 August 2026, according to the latest EIA data. This marks a reversal from the previous week, when utilization had increased by 1.1% compared with the week before.
The shift from a positive 1.1% change to a -0.7% change suggests refiners scaled back activity after a prior uptick in operations. The figures reflect week-over-week changes in refinery utilization, indicating how current capacity use compares with the immediately preceding week rather than providing an absolute utilization level. Investors and energy market participants will be watching upcoming EIA reports to see whether this pullback is a brief adjustment or the start of a broader softening in refinery runs.