Saudis Make Biggest Oil Price Hike in 20 Years After OPEC+ Cuts8 Jun 2020 05:09
Aramco, which typically announces pricing on the fifth day of each month, had delayed its July numbers until after OPEC+ members made their decision.
Saudi Arabia sells its crude at a differential to oil benchmarks, announcing every month the discount or premium it’s charging to global refiners. The so-called official selling prices help set the tone in the physical oil market, where actual barrels change hands.
With China’s demand for crude now rising, the Saudis are raising prices. The month-on-month increase in the official selling price for flagship Arab Light crude to Asia, which accounts for more than half of Saudi oil sales, is the largest in at least 20 years. Aramco raised Arab Light to Asia by $6.10 a barrel to a premium of 20 cents over the benchmark.
It raised July pricing for all grades to Asia by between $5.60 and $7.30 a barrel. That compares with an expected increase of about $4 a barrel, according to a Bloomberg survey of eight traders and refiners.
Buyers in the U.S., the Mediterranean region and Northwest Europe will also pay more for oil.