Washington DC, July 23 -- Commercial crude oil inventories increased by 2.0 million barrels in the United States for the week ending July 17, 2026, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).

The weekly gain brought total commercial crude oil stockpiles, excluding those held in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, to 411.7 million barrels. Despite the uptick, inventory levels remained approximately 6 per cent below the previous five-year average established between 2021 and 2025.

The increase in crude holdings contributed to a broader accumulation across overall energy supplies. Total commercial petroleum inventories expanded by 11.6 million barrels during the week. Key refined product stockpiles also registered gains acros...