Heating Oil Rises to 3-Week High
US heating oil futures rose above $4.10 per gallon in late April, the highest level in over three weeks, as worsening supply disruptions in the Middle East kept feedstock availability for refiners constrained. The US and Iran remain locked in a standoff, with neither side willing to adjust its conditions for an agreement, keeping reciprocal naval restrictions that continue to block oil and product tanker movements through the Strait of Hormuz. Shipping through the key waterway has been largely suspended since early March, affecting around 20 million barrels per day of crude and refined product flows. Consequently, EIA data showed that distillate stockpiles, including diesel and heating oil, fell by 4.5 million barrels last week. Meanwhile, seasonal outlooks point to above-normal temperatures, which could curb heating demand as the US moves into warmer months. For the month, heating oil is on track for a fourth straight monthly increase.