The EIA reported a build of +3,614 MBbls in U.S. crude-oil inventories. The build was larger than the average estimate of +192 as reported by Bloomberg.
Prices were down in the five minutes following the announcement, to $66.11 from $66.26 just before 09:30 AM.
Inventories for the U.S. are now at a deficit of 14.40 MMBbls (-3.2%) to last year, and a deficit of 20.80 MMBbls (-4.6%) to the five-year average.
