Indian state retailers’ monthly diesel sales dropped in August, while gasoline consumption rose, according to preliminary sales data, as monsoon season dented construction activity and prompted people to use personal vehicles for commuting.
Fuel demand in India – a proxy of oil consumption in the world’s third-biggest oil importer – typically falls during the four-month monsoon season that starts in June as parts of the country are affected by heavy floods. The state refiners sold 5.94 million metric tons of diesel last month, a decline of 3.7% from July, while gasoline sales rose 3.4% to 2.83 million tons, the data showed.
