U.S. refinery utilization posted a modest rebound in the latest weekly data, with the indicator rising to 0.5% for the week ended 29 April 2026, compared with a -0.5% change in the prior week. The figures, published in the EIA’s Weekly Refinery Utilization Rates report, mark a shift back into positive territory on a week-over-week basis.
The “Actual” reading of 0.5% reflects the change in utilization from the current week compared with the previous one, while the earlier -0.5% “Previous” figure captured the change between the prior week and the week before that. The turnaround suggests that U.S. refiners have slightly stepped up activity after a small pullback, a development closely watched by energy and financial markets for signals on fuel demand, operational capacity, and potential implications for refined product supplies and pricing.
