Saudi Arabia is expected to slash the prices for its crude bound for Asia in January to the lowest premium to benchmarks in five years, as the world’s largest crude exporter looks to preserve market share amid ample supply and falling spot Middle East benchmarks. Saudi oil giant Aramco will likely reduce the official selling price (OSP) of its flagship Arab Light crude grade by $0.30-$0.40 per barrel to a premium of $0.60-$0.70 a barrel to the average Oman/Dubai benchmark for loadings to Asia in January, ...

Core Viewpoint - Saudi Arabia has significantly reduced its official selling price (OSP) for crude oil to Asia in December, following the OPEC+ decision to halt output increases in early 2026 [1][3]. Group 1: Price Adjustments - Saudi Aramco will sell its "Arab Light" grade to Asian buyers at a premium of $1.00 per barrel above the Oman/Dubai average for December, a decrease of $1.20 from November [2]. - The Arab Medium and Arab Heavy grades were each cut by $1.40 to premiums of $0.05 and $0.10 per barrel, respectively, while the Arab Extra Light grade saw a drop of $1.20 to a premium of $1.30 per barrel [2]. Group 2: Market Dynamics - The price adjustments reflect a well-supplied Asian market with increasing crude volumes and Saudi Arabia's aim to maintain competitiveness and market share [4]. - The price cut provides a more attractive feedstock cost for Asian refiners, potentially stimulating increased term nominations or spot buying of Saudi crude [5]. Group 3: Demand and Supply Outlook - Traders are closely monitoring demand from Asian refiners for December, particularly whether spot flows of Saudi barrels will increase [6]. - The lower premium also indicates concerns about future demand and the risk of oversupply in the market [5].