Saudi Arabia Unexpectedly Lifts Key Oil Price for Asian Buyers

  • Aramco cuts prices for all other grades to Asian market
  • All crudes shipped to the Mediterranean are increased
Photographer: Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg
Lock
This article is for subscribers only.

Saudi Arabia unexpectedly raised the price of its key Arab Light crude in Asia in a move that was interpreted bullishly by futures traders.

The state-run Saudi Arabian Oil Co., or Saudi Aramco as it’s better known, raised its official selling price for the grade by 10 cents a barrel, lifting the differential to $1.20 a barrel above a Middle East benchmark for May loadings, according to in an emailed price list on Thursday. Refiners and traders had anticipated a 60-cent-a barrel decrease, according to a survey last week.