DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
[Dow Jones]--US crude oil stocks jumped 6.944 mln bbls - far more than expected - in the week ended Apr 3, API said Tue. Gasoline stocks rose 2.873 mln bbls, against expectations for a drop,
- while distillate stocks fell 2.266 mln bbls, compared with forecasts for a smaller drop.
- Refiners lifted operations by 0.2 percentage point to 82% of capacity.
- Analysts surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires expected weekly surveys to show crude oil stocks rose by 2 mln bbls, with forecasts ranging from unchanged to up 3.7 mln bbls. G
- asoline stocks were expected to drop by 900,000 bbls, with forecasts ranging from a rise of 2 mln bbls to a fall of 3.6 mln bbls.
Distillates (heating oil/diesel) were expected to drop by 300,000 bbls, with forecasts ranging from a rise of 1 mln bbls to a drop of 1.6 mln bbls. Refiners were expected to boost operations relative to capacity by 0.2 percentage point, with forecasts ranging from a rise of 0.75 point to a fall of 0.2 point.
EIA is scheduled to issue its report at 1030 AM ET Wed.