The US Energy Information Administration, or EIA, reported that US crude oil inventories increased by 2.0 million barrels last week, contrary to analyst expectations for a decline of 2.0 million barrels. Gasoline stockpiles rose by 765,000 barrels, while analysts had forecast a drop of 1.5 million barrels. Distillate inventories, which include heating oil and diesel, climbed by 1.4 million barrels, compared with expectations for an increase of 830,000 barrels. Meanwhile, crude stocks at the Cushing, Oklahoma, delivery hub for US crude futures fell by 674,000 barrels.