The EIA reported a build of +2,149 MBbls in U.S. crude-oil inventories. The build was larger than the average estimate of +402 as reported by Bloomberg.
Prices were up in the five minutes following the announcement, to $71.73 from $71.65 just before 09:30 AM.
Inventories for the U.S. are now at a deficit of 6.10 MMBbls (-1.4%) to last year, and a deficit of 20.50 MMBbls (-4.6%) to the five-year average.
