A Bloomberg survey suggested that Saudi Aramco will keep the official selling price of its main Arab Light crude heading to Asia unchanged for the first time since June.
The average estimate of five refiners and traders surveyed indicates that Arab Light crude will be priced at $4 per barrel above the average selling of Oman and Dubai crude, unchanged from November. The price premium has risen every month since last June.
For December, two of the survey participants expected no change, the third expected a decrease of 5 cents per barrel on a monthly basis, the fourth expected a decrease of 80 cents, while the fifth expected an increase of 20 cents.
Last month, Aramco raised the price of Arab Light oil by 40 cents per barrel, which was more than the 20 cent increase expected in a Bloomberg survey.
Aramco typically issues official sales offers in the first five days of the month.
