The price of diesel has fallen significantly in the last week, after several consecutive price drops. Instead, gasoline became more expensive. It is the first time in 10 months that diesel is cheaper than gasoline.
Petrom, one of the most important players on the fuel distribution market in Romania, has operated several price reductions in the case of diesel in recent days. At the last reduction, from yesterday, Petrom reduced the price of diesel fuel by five pennies per liter, up to 7.36 lei.
This reduction comes shortly after other drops in diesel prices in the same month. As a result of these consecutive decreases, diesel became cheaper than gasoline, a rare situation on the Romanian fuel market.
Journalists from economica.net claim that although Romania is a net importer of diesel and a net exporter of gasoline, the fact that diesel becomes cheaper than gasoline is a rare phenomenon. This situation can be attributed to factors such as fluctuations in the global oil market and the level of demand for each type of fuel.
In Europe, diesel profit margins have fallen to record lows in recent weeks amid a glut of diesel supply that is not being met by a significant increase in demand.
At the moment, according to peco-online.ro, a site that monitors fuel prices, the cheapest diesel can be found at a station in Dolj, 7.27 lei, and the cheapest petrol in Botoșani, 7.28 lei.
In the medium term, there is this possibility to lower prices further. The forecasts of the World Bank speak of an average price this year for Brent crude oil of 84 dollars and 79 dollars in 2025. If the international situation will remain calm, without extreme shocks.
Exchange rate and reference interest rates
We also take a look at the exchange rate and benchmark interest rates. The official exchange rate of the euro is 4.9765 lei, after a small increase. There are no large variations for the dollar either. In this case, the exchange rate is 4.6373 lei. The British pound and the Swiss franc are down slightly.
First signs of reduction in Robor after several weeks of stagnation. For now, only the index for the longest maturity, of 12 months, is decreasing. It reached 6.07%. It is now at the same value as Robor, after 6 months. The main index, for 3 months, remains at 6.05%. And IRCC remains 5.90%.
