Overview
- Spain’s emergency decree cut VAT on gasoline and diesel to 10% and lowered the hydrocarbon levy, ordered stations to post notice of the relief, and expanded CNMC powers to demand data and levy fines up to €6 million.
- Early effects are visible but patchy: in Pontevedra diesel fell about €0.24 per litre in three days to roughly €1.79, yet in Cantabria average diesel at €1.801 still sits well above pre‑conflict levels.
- Brent hovered near $100 a barrel with sharp swings, dipping below that mark at times after diplomatic signals, underscoring a choppy market that has not produced matching drops at the pump.
- Argentina’s refiners increased prices repeatedly using dynamic micro‑adjustments, pushing pump rates in cities like Mendoza, Tucumán, Salta and La Plata higher even as global crude briefly eased.
- Argentina now ranks among the three most expensive fuel markets in South America at about $1.34 per litre, surpassing Chile, as companies prioritize frequent updates and pass‑through remains faster on the way up than on the way down.