The US Energy Information Administration reported a 2.01 million barrel increase in crude oil inventories for the week ending 17 July 2026, against analyst expectations for a draw of 1.052 million barrels, according to Finnhub. Gasoline inventories also rose by 0.765 million barrels, reversing an expected draw of 1.57 million barrels, while distillate stockpiles increased by 1.395 million barrels, exceeding the anticipated 0.738 million barrel build. The official EIA figures