The EIA reported a draw of -2,224 MBbls in U.S. crude-oil inventories. The draw was larger than the average estimate of -171 as reported by Bloomberg.
Prices were up in the five minutes following the announcement, to $86.36 from $86.26 just before 09:30 AM.
Inventories for the U.S. are now at a deficit of 15.30 MMBbls (-3.6%) to last year, and a deficit of 20.00 MMBbls (-4.6%) to the five-year average.
