India and China snap up Russian oil in April above ‘price cap’
Al JazeeraRussia is enjoying stronger revenues via sale of oil despite the West’s attempts to curb funds for its war in Ukraine. India and China have snapped up the vast majority of Russian oil so far in April at prices above the Western price cap of $60 per barrel, according to traders and Reuters calculations. The latest data from Refinitiv Eikon suggested that Russian Urals oil cargoes that loaded in the first half of April are mostly heading to India’s and China’s ports. Average discounts for Urals were at $13 per barrel to dated Brent on a DES basis in Indian ports and $9 to ICE Brent in Chinese ports, according to traders, while shipping costs were $10.5 a barrel and $14 a barrel respectively for loadings from Baltic ports to India and China. Freight rates for Urals cargoes loading in Baltic ports for delivery to India have eased to $7.5-$7.6m from $8-$8.1m two weeks ago, two traders said.