Shares of Imperial Oil Ltd. IMO advanced 1.55% to C$103.28 Thursday, in what proved to be an otherwise all-around negative trading session for the Canadian market, with the S&P/TSX Composite Index GSPTSE falling 0.44% to 25,514.08.

U.S. crude oil inventories increased by more than expected last week in a fourth consecutive build, while product stocks declined, according to U.S. government data.