December home heating oil futures gained 0.8% intraday, reflecting strong spot market bids in New York Harbor. Fundamentals point to rising refinery margins, adding upward pressure on near-term contract valuations. Nearly 1,500 people in the Norwalk area alone applied in September for heating oil bill assistance, according to Monette Ferguson, CEO of the Alliance for Community Empowerment which administers CEAP assistance programs in Bridgeport, Norwalk and surrounding municipalities. Average consumer price for heating oil in the United States from winter of 2005/06 to winter of 2023/24, with a forecast for winter 2024/25 (in U.S. dollars per gallon) Market sentiment around home heating oil futures turned bullish after EIA reported a 3% week-on-week decline in distillate inventories. November delivery contracts are now trading at a two-week high, suggesting strong buying momentum among hedgers and funds.