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IMF Lauds Egypt’s Decision to Lower Fuel Prices

A general view of a Mobil gas station in Cairo, Egypt, 04 October 2019. EPA/Mohamed Hossam
A general view of a Mobil gas station in Cairo, Egypt, 04 October 2019. EPA/Mohamed Hossam
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IMF Lauds Egypt’s Decision to Lower Fuel Prices

A general view of a Mobil gas station in Cairo, Egypt, 04 October 2019. EPA/Mohamed Hossam
A general view of a Mobil gas station in Cairo, Egypt, 04 October 2019. EPA/Mohamed Hossam

Egypt has decreased fuel prices for the first time in decades, as it begins linking energy prices to international markets.

Although the drop was only around three percent, Egyptians welcomed the move in hopes for further price cuts.

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Mission Chief for Egypt Subir Lall lauded the pricing committee’s decision on Thursday to lower domestic fuel prices by 25 piasters.

In press statements, he noted that amending the prices of fuel products in Egypt comes in line with the mechanism of automatic pricing that was announced in July.

The mechanism allows for increasing or decreasing the prices of some fuel products every three months partly based on international oil prices, he added.

The price for 92-octane gasoline was lowered to 7.75 Egyptian pounds a liter from 8 pounds, while the cost of 80-octane gas dropped to 6.50 Egyptian from 6.75 pounds.

Egypt signed a three-year, $12 billion Extended Fund Facility on Nov. 11, 2016, after allowing its currency to weaken sharply, implementing a valued-added tax and raising fuel prices to reduce its balance of payments budget and deficits.

Also on Thursday Egypt lowered the domestic price of gas for the cement, metals and ceramics industries.

The domestic price of gas for the cement industry was set at $6 per million Btu from $8 and at $5.50 per million Btu for metals and ceramics sector from $7.

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Oil Prices Nudge Higher Ahead of OPEC+ Meeting

FILE PHOTO: A man is seen at an exit of the refinery plants of Chambroad Petrochemicals in Binzhou, Shandong province, China October 24, 2019. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A man is seen at an exit of the refinery plants of Chambroad Petrochemicals in Binzhou, Shandong province, China October 24, 2019. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo
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Oil Prices Nudge Higher Ahead of OPEC+ Meeting

FILE PHOTO: A man is seen at an exit of the refinery plants of Chambroad Petrochemicals in Binzhou, Shandong province, China October 24, 2019. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A man is seen at an exit of the refinery plants of Chambroad Petrochemicals in Binzhou, Shandong province, China October 24, 2019. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo

Oil prices climbed nearly 1% on Tuesday, as traders awaited the outcome of an OPEC+ meeting later this week.
Brent crude futures rose 66 cents, or 0.92%, to $72.49 a barrel by 0909 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude climbed 63 cents, or 0.93%, to $68.73, Reuters reported.
OPEC+ is likely to extend its latest round of output cuts until the end of the first quarter at its Dec. 5 meeting, according to sources.
"Given a rise in compliance with production cuts from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Iraq, the lower Brent price level, and indications in press reports, we assume an extension of OPEC+ production cuts till April," Goldman Sachs analysts said in a note.
OPEC+, which accounts for about half of the world's oil production, has been looking to gradually unwind production cuts through 2025.
However, the prospect of an oil market surplus has exerted downward pressure on prices, with Brent trading nearly 6% below its average for December 2023.
"I think there's no other option but to defer it," Priyanka Sachdeva, a senior market analyst at Phillip Nova said, adding that mounting pressure from participant-nations to increase production could cap any extension at a couple of months.
The global oil demand outlook remains weak, with China's crude imports likely to peak as early as next year, as demand for transport fuel begins to decrease, researchers and analysts said.
Concerns that the US Federal Reserve may not cut rates at its December meeting have also capped oil prices.
In the Middle East, holes continued to appear in a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, with several people killed in strikes on southern Lebanese towns shortly after Hezbollah fired missiles on an Israeli military position in the disputed Shebaa Farms area on Monday.