What it measures
The headline is the change in commercial crude oil inventories, excluding the government's Strategic Petroleum Reserve, over the week to the previous Friday. The calendar shows the change in millions of barrels.
Who publishes it and when
The EIA publishes the Weekly Petroleum Status Report at 10:30 New York time, usually on Wednesday. In weeks with a U.S. federal holiday it can move to Thursday at a later time; the calendar follows the EIA's holiday schedule.
How it is put together
The EIA surveys refiners, storage operators and importers each week. Weekly numbers are estimates and can be noisy because of imports, exports and refinery maintenance.
What traders watch
Traders also watch petrol (gasoline) and distillate stocks, refinery use, and stocks at Cushing, Oklahoma, the delivery point for U.S. crude futures. A private industry estimate published the evening before often shapes expectations.
How markets have usually reacted
A larger than expected build has often pushed oil prices down, and a larger than expected draw has often lifted them. Oil-linked currencies such as the Canadian dollar can move with oil prices.
Common mistakes
- Looking only at crude and ignoring petrol and distillate stocks.
- Forgetting the holiday schedule, which moves the release.
How a higher or lower figure is usually read
A bigger rise in stocks than the week before (or a smaller fall) is usually read as negative for oil prices; a smaller rise or a bigger fall as supportive. Not a signal.
Release history
| Date | Period | Actual | Previous |
|---|---|---|---|
| w/e Oct 23 | -1.9M | -3.1M | |
| w/e Oct 16 | -3.1M | -8.6M |
Related news
- US Natural Gas Storage (EIA)
- OPEC+ Ministerial Meeting
- Canada Consumer Price Index (CPI)
- Economic calendar: every release this week in your time zone
- Lot size calculator: keep your risk the same around news
- How to use an economic calendar: what happens around a release, and how to plan for it
Trading involves a high risk of loss. This page is information and education, not advice or a signal to trade. See the Risk Disclaimer.
Official source
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Published by U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA): www.eia.gov