US oil rig count rises to 462, up 6 from prior week

A six-rig weekly move is small in absolute terms, but the direction matters more than the size: it suggests drilling activity is stabilizing rather than extending its decline, which is the signal producers and oilfield-service names watch. The read-through for crypto and RWA markets is indirect — higher US activity can soften crude prices, easing the energy-cost pressure that feeds inflation expectations and, by extension, rate-sensitive risk assets. Whether this is a one-week blip or the start of a sustained turn higher is the open question.