US API weekly crude oil stocks for week ending 10 April rose by 6.1 million barrels.
Market expectations pointed to a fall of 1.3 million barrels.
The reported level was 7.4 million barrels higher than expected.
The data relates to the United States and covers one weekly API estimate.
The recent API report from April 10 showed a major surprise with a 6.1 million barrel build in crude stocks. This completely missed the mark, as we were expecting a draw of 1.3 million barrels. Such a large build points to a potential oversupply in the market.
The official EIA data that followed confirmed this bearish sentiment, reporting a similar large build of 5.8 million barrels. We saw crude prices immediately react, with WTI futures dropping below $84 per barrel following the news. This confirms that the market is taking the supply glut seriously.
This kind of surprise pumps up market uncertainty, and we’re seeing that reflected in rising implied volatility on crude options. For traders, this means puts are becoming more expensive as downside protection is sought after. Selling call spreads further out of the money could be a way to capitalize on this elevated premium.
Looking back from our 2025 vantage point, we recall the inventory builds in the spring of 2024 that preceded a price dip before the summer driving season. The current situation in April 2026 feels similar, suggesting we should be cautious about being overly bullish right now. This historical pattern supports a more defensive or bearish stance in the near term.
In the coming weeks, we should consider positioning for further weakness or range-bound trading. Buying protective puts or establishing bearish put spreads on WTI could be prudent strategies to hedge long positions. We need to watch if support around the $82 level holds, as a break below could trigger further selling.
