Oil insights with Harry Tchilinguirian | China more Yin than Yang | S1 E4

World of Oil Derivatives

For a special episode of Oil Insights, Harry Tchilinguirian, Group Head of Research, is joined by Dr Michal Meidan, Head of China Energy Research at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, for a special edition of our podcast today focused on China.

In this episode, Harry and Michal explore China's oil demand outlook as institutional forecasters, including the IEA and OPEC, alongside prominent Wall Street banks, downgrade their views. They discuss how weak macroeconomic data, coupled with challenges in government policy stimulus, cast doubts on China's ability to achieve its targets and deliver on oil demand growth.

Harry and Michal review oil product demand in China, particularly how the shift towards electric vehicles affects gasoline demand. Naphtha and propane demand from the petrochemical sector are also discussed in the context of weakening margins. Finally, substitution toward natural gas is also examined to see how it affects the diesel outlook. Join Harry as he delves into these pressing issues with Dr Michal Meidan, as China's oil demand performance will have important implications for the global oil balance at a time when the OPEC+ group is pondering adding more oil to the market.