US crude stocks fall 3.2M bbl, distillates steady; inventories 1% above 5-yr avg

EIA data shows a 3.2 million barrel draw in US crude inventories for the week ending October 2, bringing stocks to 424.1 million barrels, 1% above the five-year average. The draw is larger than the API's preliminary 2.09 million barrel decline, but distillate stocks held steady, suggesting balanced refined product demand. The data points to a modest tightening in crude supply, though inventories remain above average, limiting bullish price impact.