The oil sales declined by 16 percent on year-on-year basis in January 2019. Pakistan Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) started 2019 with declining sales numbers where Ex-FO sales continued to portray downward trend in its monthly numbers for last few months, due to slowdown in economic activities, inflationary pressure and smuggling of diesel from Iran, analyst said.

Product wise, HSD was down 25 percent while petrol sales was marginally up by two percent after posting decline for three consecutive months, an analyst at Topline Securities said. Furnace Oil (FO) was at its highest monthly sales of FY19 despite posting decline of 15 percent on year-on-year basis. Compared to last month, FO was up 60 percent on month-on-month basis. Cumulatively during the first seven months of FY19, FO was down 62 percent amidst its lower usage in power generation after availability of relatively cheaper fuel sources like coal and RLNG, he added.-PR

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019