Rollback coming: Gasoline prices to ease despite diesel hike
After a five-week streak of fuel price increases, gasoline prices are expected to drop in the final week of September.
Based on the four-day Mean of Platts Singapore (MOPS), gasoline is expected to rollback around ₱0.50 to ₱0.80 per liter. However, diesel is expected to continue its increase by around ₱0.30 to ₱0.50 per liter.
Kerosene is also projected to increase to approximately ₱0.40 per liter.
According to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Oil Industry Management Bureau (OIMB), there is a possibility of an additional fuel supply from Iraq as it has reopened its exports.
Rodela Romero, OIMB director, explained that this potential supply could offset the impact of increasing Ukraine-Russia tensions. She cited a United States (US) request for European nations to "stop buying Russian energy, or else they will impose tariff on such countries."
The US applied a similar measure last August when it imposed a 50 percent tariff on India for purchasing Russian oil.
Leo Bellas, president of Jetti Petroleum, added that diesel may not see any rollback next week as the geopolitical clash between Ukraine and Russia persists.
"Oil prices have rebounded significantly in the last two trading sessions, with diesel tracking its movement, due to worries of tightening market, compounded by concerns that Ukraine’s intensified drone attacks on Russian energy infrastructure and renewed Western efforts to curb Russian oil and gas flows could disrupt supplies," he elaborated.
Additionally, increased demand from industrial activity in Europe, the U.S. harvest season, and supply risks from Asia could push diesel prices upward.
"Easing gasoline price reflected the ample supply situation in Asia, with supply likely to outpace demand following the release of China’s third batch of clean export quota volumes. Rising stockpile inventories of gasoline in the region have also pressured prices as exports are expected to be capped as the summer driving season draws to a close," Bellas added.
The weaker Philippine Peso against the US dollar this week could mean a potentially bigger price hike for diesel and a smaller rollback for gasoline.