Crude oil prices inched down before the EIA reported its crude inventory report today, but saw a small jump after the release, when the agency reported that crude oil inventories had added 5.5 million barrels in the week to August 5. A week earlier, inventories added 4.5 million barrels , according to the EIA, which added to downward pressure on prices. In fuels, the picture was mixed. Gasoline inventories fell by 5 million barrels in the week to August 5, compared with a modest increase of 200,000 barrels for the previous week. Gasoline production increased, averaging 10.2 million barrels daily last week, which compared with 9.3 million barrels daily a week earlier. In middle distillates, which have fallen to critical levels this year, the EIA estimated an inventory build of 2.2 million barrels for the week to August 5. This compared with a draw of 2.4 million barrels for […]