3rd price hike in four days makes diesel costlier by 70 paise/litre

DIESEL PRICES HAD SLID TO ₹88.62 PER LITRE AFTER CLIMBING TO A RECORD HIGH OF ₹89.87 IN MID-JULY

NEW DELHI: Diesel became costlier by 70 paise per litre on Monday after state-run fuel retailers raised rates by another 25 paise, raising the retail price in Delhi to ₹89.32 per litre. This was the third such hike in the past four days as international crude oil prices head towards $80 a barrel amid rising demand and supply concerns, but insiders say hike in petrol prices are also in the pipeline.

Earlier, diesel prices had softened to ₹88.62 per litre after climbing to a record high of ₹89.87 in mid-july. The retail price of petrol in Delhi, however, has remained frozen at ₹101.19 per litre since September 5 despite volatility in international oil markets. It had touched an all-time high of ₹101.84 on July 17 and stayed there for 36 consecutive days. Subsequently, companies reduced the rate by 65 paise spread over four small cuts.

But public sector oil marketing companies (OMCS) are under pressure from the market forces to raise petrol rates also, two executives working in these firms said, requesting anonymity.

“The last increase in the retail sale price of petrol was carried out on July 17. However, with no respite from surging international prices, rise in retail prices of both petrol and diesel are likely in the coming days,” one executive with direct knowledge of the matter said.

There are indications that imported energy would be costlier, the two executives mentioned above said.

Benchmark Brent crude continued an upward movement in intraday trade on Monday with a gain of 1.83% at $79.52 a barrel.