據彭博社9月17日報道，自3月底印度實施世界上最嚴格的出行限制以來，印度汽油銷量首次出現增長，這對能源需求復蘇陷入停滯的全球石油市場來說是一個積極跡象。

據知情的官員提供的初步數據顯示，9月上半月，印度三大燃油零售商的銷售額增長2.2%，為六個月來首次同比增長。

作為世界第三大石油進口國，印度汽油銷量的上升對全球市場來說是一個可喜的進展。全球市場一直在被迫推遲對能源需求何時可能恢復到病毒爆發前水平的預期。不過，印度使用最廣泛的石油產品柴油的銷量仍較上年同期下降了約6%。

托克表示，疲弱的需求將導致石油再度出現過剩。隨著對病毒限制的放松，人們重返工作，使用私人車輛的情況越來越多。為避免疫情傳染擴大，政府倡議更多地使用私人車輛，這反映在以汽油為主要燃料的汽車和兩輪車的銷量上升上。印度8月份汽車銷量同比增長14%，而兩輪車銷量同比增長3%。

印度石油公司(Indian Oil Corp.)董事長維迪亞(Shrikant Madhav Vaidya)表示，有跡象顯示需求正在復蘇，但疫情的影響可能會持續下去，到今年年底月度消費量可能會小幅回到病毒爆發前的水平。

印度汽油銷售環比增長7.1%，柴油銷售增長19%。印度石油公司(Indian Oil)、巴拉特石油公司(Bharat Petroleum Corp.)和印度斯坦石油公司(Hindustan Petroleum Corp.)的燃油銷售量占印度燃油總銷量的90%以上。

王佳晶 摘譯自 彭博社

原文如下：

Indian Gasoline Sales Revive in Positive Sign for Oil Demand

Indian gasoline sales rose for the first time since the nation imposed one of the world’s strictest virus lockdowns in late March, a positive sign for global oil markets amid a stalling energy demand recovery.

Sales at India’s three biggest fuel retailers climbed 2.2% in the first half of September, the first year-on-year increase in six months, according to preliminary data from officials with direct knowledge of the matter.

The uptick in gasoline sales in the world’s third-largest oil importer is a welcome development for a global market that’s been forced to push back expectations for when energy demand might get back to pre-virus levels. Indian sales of diesel, the most widely used petroleum product in the country, are still down around 6% from a year earlier, however.

Trafigura Says Weak Demand Pushing Oil Back Into Surplus

An easing of virus restrictions is leading to increased use of personal vehicles as people return to their offices, the officials said, asking not to be identified as they’re not authorized to speak to media. India has now relaxed most of its stay-at-home restrictions, despite a continued rise in infections, after the economy contracted by almost a quarter in the three months through June.

Greater use of personal vehicles to avoid the risk of getting infected on public transport has been reflected in rising sales of cars and two-wheelers, which mainly run on gasoline. Car sales in India rose 14% in August from a year earlier, while two-wheeler sales increased by 3%.

Indian Oil Corp. Chairman Shrikant Madhav Vaidya said this week there are signs of a demand recovery, but the pandemic’s impact could linger and monthly consumption may edge back to pre-virus levels by the end of the year.

Gasoline sales rose 7.1% on a month-on-month basis, while diesel sales jumped 19%. Spokespeople at the three retailers -- Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum Corp. and Hindustan Petroleum Corp. -- that account for more than 90% of fuel sales couldn’t immediately comment on the provisional data.