Saudi Arabia Significantly Cuts Crude Oil Prices, Largest Drop in 26 Years

On July 6, as global supply increases intensified competition among buyers, Saudi Arabia lowered the official selling price of its main crude oil grades for August to Asian customers, marking the largest drop in at least 26 years. According to a pricing schedule, Saudi Aramco reduced the price of Arab Light crude oil for August exports to Asia by $11 per barrel, with a discount of $1.50 per barrel compared to regional benchmark prices, exceeding the expected drop of $8 per barrel from institutional surveys. Recently, Middle Eastern crude oil prices have declined. After resuming exports from the Ras Tanura port, Saudi Aramco temporarily increased crude oil shipments to about 90% of pre-war levels. Before the war, Ras Tanura was the main shipping port for Saudi crude oil exports. Due to the war blocking the Strait of Hormuz, Saudi Aramco redirected most of its crude oil flows to Yanbu port on the Red Sea. Previously, the OPEC+ oil-producing countries agreed to continue a slight increase in production in August. Now, with shipping in the Strait of Hormuz resuming, Gulf oil-producing countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Kuwait will be able to take advantage of their higher quotas.