The Energy Information Administration on Wednesday reported that U.S. commercial crude inventories fell by 9.6 million barrels for the week ended June 23. On average, analysts polled by S&P Global Commodity Insights expected a 4.8 million-barrel decline. The EIA report showed weekly inventory gains of 600,000 barrels for gasoline and 100,000 barrels for distillates. Analysts had forecast weekly decreases of 1 million barrels for gasoline and 900,000 barrels for distillates. Crude stocks at the Cushing, Okla., Nymex delivery hub edged up by 1.2 million barrels for the week, the EIA said.
