Crude oil prices today moved higher after the Energy Information Administration reported an inventory draw of 600,000 barrels for the week to December 18.

This compared with a draw of 3.1 million barrels estimated for the previous week and an inventory build of 2.7 million barrels for the week to December 18, as estimated by the American Petroleum Institute and reported yesterday. Analysts had expected the EIA to report an inventory draw of 3.25 million barrels for last week.

Oil prices have been on the rise the past two weeks on positive vaccine news and hopes for a rebound in demand once vaccinations started on a large scale. However, earlier this week, oil reversed its climb on the news about a new, more virulent variant of the coronavirus infecting thousands in the UK and prompting new travel restrictions in Europe and other parts of the world. The news saw oil traders exit their positions in droves, driving prices down.

A decline in crude oil buying by Asian refiners also contributed to the most recent reversal of oil prices’ fortunes.

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Source: Oil Price