US crude oil stocks fall despite declining refinery runs: EIA

[NEW YORK] US crude stocks fell more than expected last week even as refinery run-rates eased, data from the Energy Information Administration showed on Wednesday.

Crude inventories fell by 1.95 million barrels in the last week, compared with analysts' expectations for an decrease of 1.7 million barrels.

Crude stocks at the Cushing, Oklahoma, delivery hub fell by 983,000 barrels, EIA said.

Refinery crude runs fell by 43,000 barrels per day, EIA data showed. Refinery utilization rates fell by 0.4 percentage points.

Gasoline stocks fell by 334,000 barrels, compared with analysts' expectations in a Reuters poll for a 529,000-barrel gain.

Distillate stockpiles, which include diesel and heating oil, rose by 3.8 million barrels, versus expectations for a 1.1-million-barrel increase, the EIA data showed.

US crude imports rose last week by 677,000 barrels per day.

REUTERS