Oil nudged up on robust fuel demand, supply worries lingered
Oil soared on Thursday, buoyed by solid US demand triggered by thw gasoline stocks that touched the lowest level in three months, the unpredicted dip of crude stockpiles, with lingered supply worries following Ukrainian strike on Russian refineries
Brent crude advanced by 0.13%, to $84.14 per barrel, while US WTI climbed 0.13%, to $79.82 per barrel.
The two contracts soared by 3% touching four-month peak on Wednesday, due to the increased demand outlook in the U.S. and escalated geopolitical risk.
According to the EIA, the gasoline inventories in the US dipped for the sixth week in a row, plunging by 5.7 million per barrels.
As the US brought average of 3.25 million barrels of oil for the country's Strategic Petroleum Reserve for August delivery, this bolstered hopes on the demand side.
Speaking of the supply aspect, For the second consecutive day on Wednesday, Ukrainian drone strikes targeted Russian refining facilities, resulting in a fire at Rosneft's largest refinery. This represents one of the most significant attacks on Russia's energy sector in recent months.