Saudi Arabia raised pricing for August oil shipments to Asia, the U.S. and northern Europe amid signs that energy demand is continuing to recover from its coronavirus-triggered collapse. The move comes as the world’s biggest crude exporter pushes other major producers to join it in cutting supply to re-balance the market.
State producer Saudi Aramco lifted the official selling price for flagship Arab Light crude to customers in Asia, its biggest market, for a third-straight month, though by less than traders expected. The grade will sell in Asia at $1.20 a barrel above the Middle East benchmark, compared with a $0.20 premium for July, the company said in a statement. Traders and refiners, who are struggling to deal with low margins, expected the premium to climb to $1.45, according to a Bloomberg survey.