Petrobras raises gasoline and diesel prices, but markets say it’s insufficient

Thursday, January 31st 2013 - 07:52 UTC

Full article 24 comments

Brazil has sufficient oil but price manipulation has eroded Petrobras finances

Brazil's state-run oil company Petrobras said in a market filing that it would increase refinery prices for gasoline and diesel by 6.6% and 5.4%, respectively, starting on January 31. However the market’s reaction was negative with the Bovespa stock exchange falling to a seven-week low.

Bovespa fell 1.8% to 59,336.70 at the close of trading in Sao Paulo, the lowest since Dec. 13. Forty-six stocks sank on the measure while 22 advanced. The Real weakened 0.1% to 1.9887 per U.S. dollar. Petrobras said in a regulatory filing that it was seeking to eliminate the discount between domestic and international prices eventually.

“The increase isn’t enough to eliminate the gap with international prices,” Gustavo Mendonca, an economist at Oren Investimentos, said from Rio de Janeiro. “And it’s unlikely that the government will allow it to raise domestic prices again anytime soon.”

The higher fuel prices put “additional pressure on inflation, which is already running at a fast pace,” Mendonca said.

Petrobras fell 4.8% to 18.20 Reais, the biggest drop since June 25. The fuel price adjustment announced will reduce the price gap for gasoline to 11.8% and diesel to 12.2%, Banco Bradesco SA analysts wrote in a note distributed to clients.

Categories: Economy, Energy & Oil, Politics, Brazil.

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ChrisR
Done half the job: typical of Brasil when you look at financial ineptitude.

There is a saying around the Potteries in the Stoke-on-Trent area of the UK among the business community about the local people:

“Why pay a pound to do the job properly when 50 pence will f**k it up nicely”. And it is so true.
Jan 31st, 2013 - 08:49 pm 0
Hepatia
http://en.mercopress.com/2013/01/31/petrobras-raises-gasoline-and-diesel-prices-but-markets-say-it-s-insufficient#comment210914: Thank you for informing us that there is a location in the UK actually called Stoke-on-Trent. Who knew? And, more importantly, who cares?
Feb 01st, 2013 - 03:10 am 0
ChrisR
2 Hepatia

I see you have missed the point AGAIN because of you embittered attitude.

You really should seek medical help to overcome this nasty side that you have.
Feb 01st, 2013 - 11:51 am 0

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