U.S. crude oil futures held steady Tuesday after the American Petroleum Institute reported a surprisingly large weekly inventory build. West Texas Intermediate traded around $61.12 per barrel, essentially unchanged from its $61.15 settle. The API reported crude supplies rose by approximately 5.3 million barrels for the week ended Jan. 9, far exceeding analyst forecasts for a 2 million-barrel increase. Gasoline and distillate stockpiles also grew.

The market's muted reaction suggests traders are waiting for confirmation from the official government data, which is scheduled for release Wednesday morning. A sustained surplus in crude and refined products would signal weaker demand during a period when the market expects tightening supplies. This inventory data arrives as traders gauge the health of the U.S. economy and its impact on energy consumption.

Watch for the Energy Information Administration report at 10:30 a.m. ET. If the EIA corroborates the API's findings, prices could face renewed pressure. However, any downward move may be limited by ongoing geopolitical tensions and OPEC+ supply discipline that has kept the market relatively tight. Traders will compare the data against recent production guidance from major oil companies.