The U.S. Energy
Information Administration (EIA) revealed on Thursday that crude inventories fell
by 3.818 million barrels in the week ended October 9. Economists had forecast a
drop of 3.387 million barrels.
At the same
time, gasoline stocks decreased by 1.626 million barrels, while analysts had
expected a decline of 1.607 million barrels. Distillate stocks tumbled by 7.244
million barrels, while analysts had forecast a drop of 2.096 million barrels.
Meanwhile, oil
production in the U.S. plunged by 500,000 barrels a day to 10.500 million
barrels a day.
U.S. crude oil
imports averaged 5.3 million barrels per day last week, down by 447,000 barrels
per day from the previous week.