Energy Information Administration (EIA) data showed U.S. crude inventories fell last week by 5.1 million barrels to 460.9 million barrels, far exceeding analysts' average forecast of a 1.5 million drop in a Reuters poll. OPEC's share of India's oil imports fell at the fastest pace in 2022/23 to the lowest in at least 22 years as intake of cheaper Russian oil surged, while China is also ramping up buying of Russia's Urals oil.
Oil loading from Russia's western ports in April will be the highest since 2019, above 2.4 million barrels per day, despite Moscow's pledge to cut output, sources have said. Moscow has also increased fuel supplies to Turkey, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke to Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday for the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine, promising to send special representatives to Ukraine and hold talks with all parties seeking peace. "The West is hopeful China can help broker a peace deal and this may be a positive first step," Edward Moya, senior market analyst with OANDA, said in a note. (Reporting by Katya Golubkova; Editing by Christopher Cushing)