Lisbon, Aug. 7, 2026 (Lusa) - The price per litre of diesel is expected to fall by 12 eurocents and petrol by 12.5 eurocents next week, should the current trend continue, according to estimates by the Automobile Club of Portugal (ACP).
Based on current figures from the Directorate-General for Energy and Geology (DGEG), and taking into account forecasts of price movements based on Thursday's market close, the average price of regular diesel is expected to reach €1.931 per litre, whilst that of 95-octane petrol is expected to fall to €1.855 per litre.
The final average will only be confirmed at the end of the day and may still be subject to change depending on developments in international oil prices; the final cost at the pump may vary by petrol station, brand and location.
An update to the discount on the Tax on Petroleum Products (ISP) may also alter the forecast figures.
The Government has committed to applying an extraordinary, temporary reduction in the ISP whenever fuel prices rise by more than 10 euro cents, to mitigate the price surge.
Meanwhile, the minister for energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, has asked the Energy Services Regulatory Authority (ERSE) for a detailed study on the formation and evolution of fuel prices charged at petrol stations.
The request aims to assess whether retail prices have kept pace with changes in international oil, diesel and petrol prices, as well as the speed with which operators pass on price rises and falls.
ERSE, which received the request on 15 July, has 20 working days to submit its analysis.
Should the conditions set out by law be met, the minister has also asked the regulator to assess a proposal for the exceptional setting of maximum margins.
Following an initial rise due to the war in Iran, geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, fuel prices fell during the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.
However, with the resumption of the conflict, recent weeks have been marked by a sharp rise, a trend that is expected to reverse next week.
The price of the benchmark Brent crude oil contract in Europe rose by 0.92% to $83.25 this morning, whilst the price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the benchmark in the United States (US), rose by 0.58% to $77.74.
The price of the active natural gas contract on the Dutch TFF market, the benchmark in Europe, rose by 1.45% to €56.58 per megawatt-hour (MWh).
According to the Fars news agency, Iran plans to control the entry and exit of ships in the Persian Gulf, in conjunction with Oman, and both countries will levy «transit fees» in the Strait of Hormuz.
CT/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
