U.S. crude stocks off unexpectedly as imports drop: EIA

NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. crude oil inventories fell unexpectedly last week, chalking up their first decline in eight weeks, as imports dropped and demand from refiners edged up, government data on Thursday showed.

Commercial crude oil inventories fell to 350.6 million barrels, a drop of 200,000 barrels for the week ended February 13, said the Energy Information Administration (EIA) report, delayed a day due to Monday’s Presidents Day holiday.

This decline countered analysts’ average expectations that crude stocks in the United States added 3.0 million barrels.

Reuters