US oil inventories increase by 3.7 million barrels

Crude oil inventories in the United States unexpectedly rose last week, while gasoline inventories rose and distillate stocks dropped, data from the American Petroleum said Tuesday. Institute.

Crude inventories rose 3.7 million barrels during the week ending Aug. 9 to 443 million barrels, while badysts expected a drop of 2.8 million barrels.

Crude inventories at the Cushing, Oklahoma, delivery center fell 2.2 million barrels.

Gasoline inventories rose 3.7 million barrels, while badysts polled by Reuters had forecast an increase of 910,000 barrels.

Inventories of distillates, including diesel and fuel oil, declined 1.3 million barrels, while forecasts predicted a decline of 810,000 barrels.

The Institute for Petroleum said US crude imports rose 640,000 barrels a day to 7.7 million barrels last week.