Fuel prices recover as fast as they have packed. After a bounce marked in January that increased them by almost 10 cents for a month, they registered a significant drop until they reach their lowest level for six months: the liter of the diesel is, therefore, 1.63 euros when that of the notes shows 1.68 euros. A strong withdrawal that is due to the lasting decrease in the barrel of Brent since the end of January, but also to the emergence of the euro against the US currency, which makes the barrel cheap, buying in dollars.
At the beginning of the year, oil prices were remarkably supported by the sanctions of the United States aimed at Russian oil trade, announced in early January, which forced India, China and Turkey to obtain more in the Middle East to avoid them, and this additional request tended to increase prices.
This trend has been reversed in recent weeks due to an offer that grows both on the OPEC side and in which Donald Trump encourages oil extraction. At the same time, the commercial war causes an economic slowdown that will result in a demand drop, which is also likely to reduce posterior fuel prices.
And this supply and demand mechanism could continue playing in favor of motorists. On the one hand, a return of Russian oil to the market would even increase the medium -term supply. On the other hand, the electrification of uses will accentuate the drop in long -term demand. So some experts are already considering a barrel of 60 dollars, which would mean a price of the liter of fuel around 1.50 euros.
“Great stability in oil prices”
From a broader perspective, the price of a barrel had oscillated for two years between 75 and 85 dollars, after the 120 dollar peak reached the current 2022. In 2024, it fell slightly to $ 81 on average compared to $ 82 the previous year. “At present, we have around $ 71 and it is due to the decision of the OPEC+ Russia to gradually raise its production of 100,000 barrels per day every month,” said UFIP EM (French Union of Petroleum Industries) last week, emphasizing “great stability in oil prices.”
And this stability resulted in prices in the bomb in France last year. According to UFIP EM, the prices of the liter of without lead and diesel were in 2024 slightly lower than its level of 2023, respectively to 1.79 euros against 1.86 and 1.70 euros instead of 1.80. These decreases were mainly influenced by variations in crude oil, since despite a cost of refining divided by two between the first and second half of 2024, two elements of the distribution costs increased last year: the energy saving certificates (8 cents per liter) and the cost of the incorporation of biofuels in essences and diesel (a little less than 6 cents per liter).
Source: BFM TV
