Energy
5.5
US crude inventories rise 5.5M barrels; levels near five-year average
US crude oil inventories increased by 5.5 million barrels in the latest weekly report from the Energy Department, with total stockpiles now 0.1% above the five-year seasonal average. The modest surplus suggests relatively balanced supply-demand conditions without meaningful pressure on storage capacity. This routine inventory management indicator provides context for downstream energy pricing and strategic reserve adequacy.