China Third-Quarter Crude Oil Demand Growth May Slow

China’s crude oil demand growth may continue to slow in the third quarter as a cooling economy cuts requirements for fuel including diesel, according to data from the country’s largest oil company.

Crude consumption may average 37 million metric tons a month, or about 8.9 million barrels a day, up 9.5 percent from a year earlier, China National Petroleum Corp.’s research unit said in an e-mailed report. That compares with the 15 percent gain in the second quarter and the 22 percent increase in the first, Bloomberg calculations derived from official figures show.