Oil Inventory Build Expected
Dow Jones Newswires
NEW YORK -- U.S. crude oil stocks are expected to show an increase for the sixth-straight week in data due Wednesday from the Department of Energy, according to a Dow Jones Newswires survey of analysts.
The data, put out by the department's Energy Information Administration unit and covering the week ended April 10, are due to be released at 10:30 a.m. EDT Wednesday. Separate weekly U.S. oil data from the American Petroleum Institute are due at 4:30 p.m. EDT Tuesday.
Crude oil inventories are expected to show a rise of 2.1 million barrels, according to the mean of six analysts' forecasts. All of the analysts predict an increase, with estimates ranging from 1.3 million barrels to 3.1 million barrels.
Gasoline inventories are expected to have declined 400,000 barrels, according to the analysts' average. All but one of the analysts predict a drawdown, with estimates ranging from a decline of 1.53 million barrels to a gain of 2 million barrels.
Stocks of distillates, which include heating oil and diesel fuel, are expected to fall by 800,000 barrels. Only one analyst predicted an increase, with forecasts ranging from a draw of 2 million barrels to a build of 2 million barrels.
Refinery use is seen rising by 0.2 percentage point to 82% of capacity.
U.S. oil inventories will have hit their highest point since 1990 should the analysts' forecast prove accurate. Analysts' Estimates Analyst
Analysts' Estimates
Analyst Crude Gasoline Distillates Refining
Alaron Trading +2 +2 +2 +0.5
Citi Futures Persp. +1.5 -1 -1 -0.5
MF Global-Fitzpatrick +3.1 -1.1 -0.8 +0.8
Ritterbusch & Assoc +2 -0.3 -0.7 unch
Summit Energy +2.7 -1.53 -2 +0.5
Tradition Energy +1.3 -0.5 -2 +0.1
Average Estimate +2.1 -0.4 -0.8 +0.2
Figures in millions of barrels, except for refining use, which is reported in percentage points. Figures are rounded to two decimal places in table, one decimal place in averages and story. For analysts providing forecasts in a range, the average of the upper and lower ends of the range is used.