SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- U.S. crude oil inventories declined by 900,000 barrels for the week ending July 1, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration Thursday. Crude oil for August delivery CL1Q +1.79% , the most active contract, rose $2.44, or 2.5%, to $99.09 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The agency also said total gasoline inventories declined by 600,000 barrels and distillate fuel inventories fell by 200,000 barrels for the period, EIA said. Analysts surveyed by Platts had estimated crude stockpiles to decline by 2.5 million barrels, gasoline inventories to increase by 500,000 barrels, and distillate inventories to rise by 1.1 million barrels. Gasoline for August delivery RB1Q +2.80% rose 3% to nearly $3.09 a gallon on the Nymex.
