How much did U.S. crude and gasoline inventories decline last week, and how did those draws compare to analyst expectations?

U.S. crude inventories fell by 4.3 million barrels to 452.9 million barrels for the week ended May 8, significantly exceeding analysts' expectation of a 2.1-million-barrel draw, according to a Reuters poll. Gasoline stocks declined by 4.1 million barrels to 215.7 million barrels, also surpassing the expected 2.9-million-barrel draw.

What were the key changes in U.S. crude exports, refinery utilization, and distillate inventories reported by the EIA for the week ended May 8?

Crude exports rose by 742,000 barrels per day to 5.49 million bpd; refinery crude runs increased by 370,000 bpd and utilization rates climbed 1.6 percentage points to 91.7%; meanwhile, distillate stockpiles rose by 200,000 barrels to 102.5 million barrels — contrary to expectations of a 2.7-million-barrel drop.

US Crude and Gasoline Inventories Fell Last Week, Exports Ticked Higher, EIA Says

May 13, 2026

The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported declining crude and gasoline inventories alongside rising exports amid geopolitical tensions. Oil futures reacted to the supply tightening, with analysts warning of potential price spikes.

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