Oil edges higher before US data on crude stockpiles and demand

Oil rose ahead of a US government report on crude inventories and fuel demand following the release of mixed industry data.

Brent traded above $85 a barrel and West Texas Intermediate was near $81. The American Petroleum Institute reported a big build in gasoline stockpiles and a modest rise in crude inventories last week, according to people familiar with the figures. Holdings at the Cushing storage hub fell, however.

The Energy Information Administration is scheduled to release its data on inventories, refining and fuel demand later Wednesday.

Oil is on track for a monthly advance and analysts are becoming more bullish about the outlook in the next quarter on a tightening market. An escalation of geopolitical tensions from Yemen to Russia could also underpin further price gains. Later this week, traders will be watching inflation and other economic data for clues on the path forward for interest rates.

“Tightening fundamentals through the third quarter of the year leaves us supportive toward the market,” said Yeap Jun Rong, a market strategist for IG Asia Pte in Singapore. In the short term, there’s expected to be caution ahead of the release of inflation data this week, he added.

Prompt time spreads for Brent and WTI have widened in a bullish backwardation structure this month, and money managers have recently increased their bets on a range of products including ICE gasoil, Europe’s diesel benchmark.

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