U.S. refinery utilization snapped back into positive territory in the latest reporting week, with rates rising 0.6% week-over-week as of 04 March 2026, according to the EIA’s weekly data. The move marks a modest recovery after a sharper 2.4% decline in the previous week.
The comparison underscores a stabilization in operating activity, as refiners reversed part of the prior week’s pullback. The “actual” figure reflects the change versus the immediately preceding week, while the “previous” value captures the week-on-week shift for the earlier period. Investors and energy markets will now be watching upcoming reports to see whether this uptick signals a sustained improvement in U.S. refining activity or a brief pause in a broader cooling trend.
