The Energy Information Administration says ethanol output jumped to its highest level in a month while inventories increased slightly. Production of the biofuel rose to an average of 1.043 million barrels a day during the week ending on July 29. That’s up from 1.021 million barrels daily during the previous week and is the highest output since the seven days that ended on July 1.

In the Midwest, output averaged 984,000 barrels a day, up from 962,000 the previous week and also the highest point in a month. Production in the Gulf Coast increased to 25,000 barrels a day, on average, from 23,000 barrels. That was all the weekly gains as East Coast output was unchanged at 12,000 barrels a day and Rocky Mountain production remained at 15,000 barrels a day.

West Coast output dropped by 7,000 barrels a day. Stockpiles rose modestly to 23.394 million barrels a day during the week.