NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Crude-oil futures extended gains Wednesday after government data showed a surprising decline in last week's inventories as imports fell and gasoline demand picked up. Crude inventories fell by 4.4 million barrels in the week ended June 5, the Energy Information Administration reported. Analysts surveyed by energy information provider Platts had expected an increase of 800,000 barrels. After the data, July crude rose 2.4% to $71.69 a barrel. It was up less than 1.5% before the data. Imports fell 676,000 barrels a day from the previous week, while gasoline demand rose slightly from a week ago, the EIA report showed. The EIA also said gasoline inventories fell 1.6 million barrels and distillate stockpiles declined 300,000 barrels.
