US crude stockpiles rise less than expected in week: EIA

[NEW YORK] US crude stocks rose slightly less than expected last week, while gasoline and distillate inventories fell, data from the Energy Information Administration showed on Wednesday.

Crude inventories rose by 2.1 million barrels in the last week, compared with analysts' expectations for an increase of 2.4 million barrels.

Crude stocks at the Cushing, Oklahoma, delivery hub fell by 248,000 barrels, EIA said.

Refinery crude runs rose by 163,000 barrels per day, EIA data showed. Refinery utilization rates rose by 0.2 percentage points.

Gasoline stocks fell by 110,000 barrels, compared with analysts' expectations in a Reuters poll for a 1.2 million barrels drop.

Distillate stockpiles, which include diesel and heating oil, fell by 3.6 million barrels, versus expectations for a 304,000 barrels increase, the EIA data showed.

US crude imports rose last week by 247,000 barrels per day.

REUTERS