24.02.202621:30:00UTC+00U.S. API Crude Oil Stocks Surge by 11.4M Barrels, Reversing Previous Drawdown

U.S. crude oil inventories recorded a sharp increase in the latest week, with American Petroleum Institute (API) data showing a build of 11.400 million barrels, updated on 24 February 2026. This marks a significant reversal from the previous reading, when stocks fell by 0.609 million barrels.

The abrupt swing from a modest drawdown to a substantial build suggests a notable shift in the short-term supply-demand balance in the U.S. oil market. While the API report is a private-sector gauge and often seen as a precursor to official government data, traders and analysts frequently watch these weekly changes for early signals on potential price movements and underlying demand trends.

The sizable inventory increase may now prompt closer scrutiny of refinery activity, import levels, and domestic consumption patterns as market participants assess whether this jump reflects temporary factors or the beginning of a broader build-up in U.S. crude stocks.