US crude stocks rise 1.786 million barrels, Cushing inventories climb 2.082 million
The build, reported by the American Petroleum Institute, far exceeded the 500,000-barrel draw forecast and reverses last week's 391,000-barrel decline.
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Chart: USO, a fund that tracks crude, one-minute prices through the session
US crude oil inventories rose 1.786 million barrels last week, according to data from the American Petroleum Institute. Analysts had expected a draw of 500,000 barrels. Stocks at Cushing, Oklahoma, the delivery point for US crude futures, increased 2.082 million barrels.
The figures come from the API, not the US Energy Information Administration. The EIA's own weekly petroleum report for the same week is due out September 23, 2026, according to the agency's website.
The build marks a reversal from the prior week's 391,000-barrel decline and runs counter to recent tightening in refined product markets. Over the past 20 years, US crude inventories have typically risen between September and November, according to MacroMicro, putting this week's build within a seasonal pattern even as it beat forecasts.
The increase sits against EIA forecasts that still show 2026 demand outpacing supply, with price support at $84.65 for WTI crude. Near term, traders are likely to read the data as mildly bearish for crude prices, though the broader supply-demand balance over the EIA's forecast horizon is unchanged.