Traders and investors enter Wednesday, February 25, 2026, with a tight focus on several scheduled releases and remarks that could influence market positioning. The Energy Information Administration's weekly crude oil inventory report is among the most closely watched items, given its role as a near-term barometer of petroleum demand and its potential implications for inflation data. Coinciding with that release, remarks from U.S. President Trump could provide additional cues around policy sentiment that market participants may parse for implications across asset classes.
Major items shaping the day
The calendar highlights two marquee events. First, late on Tuesday evening at 9:00 PM ET President Trump is scheduled to speak. Those remarks, arriving just ahead of the EIA numbers, may affect market sentiment and short-term policy expectations.
- 9:00 PM ET (Tuesday evening) - U.S. President Trump Speaks - Remarks from the President that could impact market sentiment and policy expectations.
- 10:30 AM ET - EIA Crude Oil Inventories (Previous: -9.014M) - The weekly tally of commercial crude oil barrels held by U.S. firms, a direct indicator of the strength of petroleum demand and a potential influence on inflation dynamics.
Other scheduled economic releases and events
Beyond those headline items, the day features a broad set of energy-related measures from the EIA, a Treasury auction that will set the yield for the 5-year note, and Fed liquidity snapshots published late in the U.S. trading session. Mortgage market measures published early in the session will also update participants on housing finance activity.
- 10:30 AM ET - EIA Weekly Cushing Oil Inventories (Previous: -1.095M) - Change in crude oil storage at Cushing, Oklahoma, the delivery point for the West Texas Intermediate benchmark.
- 1:00 PM ET - 5-Year Note Auction (Previous: 3.823%) - Treasury note auction yield reflecting government borrowing costs and investor demand for U.S. debt.
- 4:30 PM ET - Reserve Balances with Federal Reserve Banks (Previous: 2.960T) - The amount of money depository institutions maintain in Federal Reserve accounts.
- 4:30 PM ET - Fed's Balance Sheet (Previous: 6,613B) - The weekly statement of Federal Reserve assets and liabilities.
Additional indicators released throughout the day
Early-morning mortgage data from the Mortgage Bankers Association will provide the weekly snapshot of home-lending activity. Several Federal Reserve regional presidents are also scheduled to speak, offering additional commentary that market participants may use to refine near-term expectations for policy.
- 7:00 AM ET - MBA Mortgage Applications (Previous: 2.8%) - Weekly change in mortgage applications backed by the Mortgage Bankers Association.
- 7:00 AM ET - MBA 30-Year Mortgage Rate (Previous: 6.17%) - Fixed 30-year mortgage lending rates for 80% loan-to-value mortgages.
- 7:00 AM ET - Mortgage Market Index (Previous: 339.0) - Comprehensive measure covering all mortgage applications during the week.
- 7:00 AM ET - MBA Purchase Index (Previous: 157.1) - Mortgage applications for single-family home purchases.
- 7:00 AM ET - Mortgage Refinance Index (Previous: 1,375.9) - Gauge of mortgage refinancing activity across all mortgage types.
- 9:30 AM ET - FOMC Member Barkin Speaks - Remarks from Richmond Fed President Thomas Barkin that may provide additional insight into the policy outlook.
- 10:30 AM ET - Gasoline Inventories (Previous: -3.213M) - Weekly change in commercial gasoline barrels held in inventory, with implications for pump prices and inflation.
- 10:30 AM ET - EIA Weekly Distillates Stocks (Previous: -4.566M) - Inventory levels of distillate fuel products in the United States.
- 10:30 AM ET - EIA Weekly Heatoil Stock (Previous: 0.362M) - Change in heating oil inventory levels during the reported week.
- 10:30 AM ET - EIA Weekly Gasoline Production (Previous: 0.290M) - Weekly gasoline production levels from U.S. refineries.
- 10:30 AM ET - EIA Weekly Distillate Fuel Production (Previous: 0.028M) - Production levels of distillate fuels during the reported week.
- 10:30 AM ET - EIA Weekly Refinery Utilization Rates (Previous: 1.6%) - Percentage of refinery capacity being utilized in operations.
- 10:30 AM ET - EIA Weekly Crude Imports (Previous: -1.132M) - Change in crude oil imports into the United States.
- 10:30 AM ET - EIA Refinery Crude Runs (Previous: 0.077M) - Volume of crude oil processed by refineries during the week.
- 11:00 AM ET - Fed Schmid Speaks - Kansas City Fed President Jeff Schmid's comments on the economic assessment and policy outlook.
Across the schedule, the EIA's suite of weekly figures - spanning crude, gasoline, distillates, production, imports and refinery utilization - will offer a granular view of the energy complex's supply-demand balance for the reporting week. Separately, the timing of President Trump's remarks and the 5-year note auction ensures that both political signals and fixed-income pricing will be part of traders' considerations throughout the day.
Market participants will be watching how these data interact in real time. Oil inventory surprises can shift inflation expectations and thereby influence rates and equity valuation assumptions, while Treasury auction results and Fed liquidity snapshots provide a read on funding conditions. Given the density of events, market moves could be driven by the interaction of energy data, policy commentary and routine liquidity measures.
How to follow the releases
Investors and analysts are advised to monitor the timing noted above for each release and to treat the EIA crude inventory number and the President's remarks as the day's primary focal points. Together, these events are expected to supply key inputs for traders assessing inflation pressure, energy demand and policy sentiment on February 25, 2026.