The European Union’s decision to impose another round of sanctions targeting Russian oil exports in response to the ongoing war in Ukraine fuelled expectations of reduced global supply. Industry analysts noted that these measures could curb Russian crude flows, lending upward pressure to prices.
US commercial crude oil inventories fell by 1.4 million barrels during the same period, totalling 422.0 million barrels. This figure is approximately 6% below the five-year average for this time of year, suggesting continued supply constraints relative to historical norms.