Oil prices rose over 1% on Wednesday, after a large unexpected drawdown in U.S. crude inventories and a warning from the Saudi energy minister that raised the prospect of further OPEC+ production cuts.
U.S. crude inventories posted a massive surprise drawdown, falling by 12.5 million barrels last week to 455.2 million barrels, the Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday.
U.S. gasoline stocks dropped by 2.1 million barrels in the week to 216.3 million barrels, the EIA said, while distillate stockpiles fell by 600,000 barrels in the week to 105.7 million barrels.
Saudi Arabia's energy minister said short-sellers - those betting that prices will fall - should "watch out" for pain.
"Oil prices are trading higher ... buoyed by the latest short-seller warning from Saudi Arabia," said OANDA senior market analyst Craig Erlam.
Persons:
Phil Flynn, Craig Erlam, Joe Biden, Kevin McCarthy, Price, Britain's
Organizations:
Brent, U.S, West Texas, Energy Information Administration, Analysts, EIA, Memorial, Price Futures, Organization of Petroleum, Democratic, Republican
Locations:
Saudi, U.S, Russia, OPEC, Saudi Arabia