The EIA reported a build of +8,664 MBbls in U.S. crude-oil inventories. The build was larger than the average estimate of +1,033 as reported by Bloomberg.
Prices were down in the five minutes following the announcement, to $71.49 from $71.57 just before 09:30 AM.
Inventories for the U.S. are now at a surplus of 2.10 MMBbls (-0.5%) to last year, and a deficit of 16.60 MMBbls (-3.8%) to the five-year average.
