On Thursday, crude prices stabilized, bolstered by a sudden draw in American gasoline inventories, though bloated crude supplies meant that fuel markets are still under pressure.
Brent crude futures LCOc1 reached $55.27 per barrel, ascending 15 cents from their last close. American West Texas Intermediate crude futures CLc1 inched up 14 cents, being worth $52.48 a barrel.
On Wednesday, the US Energy Information Administration informed that gasoline shares dipped by 869,000 barrels the previous week to 256.2 million barrels, vs. analyst hopes for a 1.1 million-barrel revenue.
Market participants told that this surprise surge in American gasoline inventories had helped to push up oil, although most added that fuel markets were still bloated and it would probably prevent further big price surges.
American commercial crude inventories added by 18.8 million barrels to about 508.6 million barrels, as the EIA states.
