US crude inventories fell by 6 million barrels a week

Data from the US Petroleum Institute showed Tuesday that crude oil inventories in the United States declined last week, as did stocks of gasoline and distillates.

Crude inventories fell by 6 million barrels in the week ending July 26th to 443 million barrels, while badysts forecast a drop of 2.6 million barrels.

Crude stocks at the delivery point in Kaching, Oklahoma, declined 1.4 million barrels, the institute announced.

Gasoline inventories fell by 3.1 million barrels compared to badysts' forecasts, according to a Reuters poll of 1.4 million barrels.

According to the Petroleum Institute, distillate stocks, including diesel and fuel oil, rose 890,000 barrels, compared with the forecast increase of one million barrels.

US crude oil imports last week rose 58,000 barrels a day to 6.6 million barrels a day.