U.S. refinery utilization edged higher in the latest week, signaling a modest recovery in downstream activity, according to the EIA data updated on 15 July 2026. The weekly indicator rose by 0.4% week-on-week, reversing the prior period’s decline of 0.8%.
The comparison is based on consecutive weekly changes, with the current “Actual” figure reflecting the shift from the previous week, while the earlier “Previous” value captured the change from the week before that. The turnaround from negative to positive territory suggests a stabilizing operating environment for U.S. refiners, with utilization moving back into growth after a short-lived pullback. Investors and energy market participants will now watch upcoming reports to gauge whether this uptick marks the start of a more sustained upward trend in refinery activity.