The EIA reported a build of 2,421 MBbls in U.S. crude-oil inventories. This build was larger than the average estimate of a withdrawal of -2,183 MBbls as reported by Bloomberg.
Prices were unchanged in the five minutes following the announcement, to $102.15 from $102.15 just before 09:30 AM.
Inventories for the U.S. are now at a deficit of 86.40 MMBbls (-17.3%) to last year, and a deficit of 65.80 MMBbls (-13.8%) to the five-year average.
