FX.co ★ U.S. Crude Oil Inventories Jump Much More Than Expected

According to a recent report from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released on Wednesday, U.S. crude oil inventories saw a significant increase in the week ending October 18th, surpassing expectations. The report highlights a rise of 5.5 million barrels in crude oil stockpile, following a previous decrease of 2.2 million barrels in the prior week.

Currently, U.S. crude oil inventories stand at 426.0 million barrels, which is approximately 4 percent below the five-year average for this period of the year. Additionally, the report notes a 0.9 million barrel increase in gasoline inventories last week, although they remain about 3 percent below the typical five-year average for this time.

In contrast, distillate fuel inventories—which encompass diesel and heating oil—experienced a reduction of 1.1 million barrels over the past week. These inventories are notably about 9 percent below the five-year average for this season.