Gasoline and diesel prices today, October 15, 2025: Sharp drop due to US-China tensions.
Today's fuel prices (October 15th): World fuel prices fell by more than 2% as trade tensions between the US and China escalated, along with forecasts of oversupply from the International Energy Agency.
On October 15th, global oil prices fell sharply by more than 2%. This was due to trade tensions between the US and China, along with forecasts suggesting a potential increase in supply while demand weakens.
Fuel prices today, October 15th: Dropping sharply again.
Brent crude futures fell $1.38 (2.2%) to $61.94 per barrel, while US WTI crude dropped 2.3% to $58.12 per barrel. Both crudes fell to their lowest levels in five months. In the previous session, Brent had risen slightly by 0.9% and WTI by 1%.
According to experts, risk sentiment is rising as trade tensions between the US and China continue to escalate. The Trump administration is still planning to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea this month to de-escalate the dispute, but a series of recent moves have made the market uneasy.
Beijing has expanded its controls on rare earth exports, while Washington has threatened to impose 100% tariffs and restrict software exports starting November 1st.
China also announced sanctions against five subsidiaries of South Korean shipbuilding giant Hanwha Ocean that have ties to the US. Simultaneously, both countries will begin imposing additional port fees on shipping companies.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts the global oil market could have a surplus of up to 4 million barrels per day next year, as OPEC+ producers and other rivals increase output while demand remains weak.
Previously, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, such as Russia, offered less pessimistic forecasts, suggesting that the supply deficit would gradually narrow by 2026 as OPEC+ continued to adjust production as planned.
The price spread between spot Brent crude and six-month futures contracts has narrowed to its lowest level since early May, while for WTI crude it is the narrowest since January 2024.
This contraction indicates that profits from spot oil sales are decreasing, due to perceived greater short-term supply. This development has led investors to remain cautious, awaiting new signals from trade negotiations and the next OPEC+ production report.
Fuel prices today, October 15th: Domestic prices drop sharply.
Today's fuel prices (October 15th) are adjusted according to yesterday's regular price adjustment (October 9th) by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Industry and Trade, with fuel prices uniformly decreasing sharply by 430 to over 570 VND per liter, depending on the type.
Of these, kerosene and fuel oil saw the sharpest price reductions, at nearly 600 VND/liter, the largest drop in the past month.
Currently, the prices of petroleum products sold domestically are as follows:
- E5 RON 92 gasoline decreased by 486 VND/liter, retail price 19,138 VND/liter.
- RON 95 gasoline decreased by 480 VND/liter, retail price 19,729 VND/liter;
- Diesel fuel prices decreased by 434 VND/liter, with retail prices exceeding 18,600 VND/liter;
- Kerosene prices dropped sharply by 571 VND/liter, with retail prices exceeding 18,434 VND/liter;
- Fuel oil prices decreased by 562 VND/liter, with retail prices now exceeding 14,808 VND/liter.
The average price of refined petroleum products in the world market between the price adjustment period of October 2, 2025 and the price adjustment period of October 9, 2025 is:
76,138 USD/barrel for RON92 gasoline used to blend E5RON92 gasoline (a decrease of 2,578 USD/barrel, equivalent to a 3.28% reduction);
RON95 gasoline price: 78,322 USD/barrel (down 2,366 USD/barrel, equivalent to a 2.93% decrease);
86,298 USD/barrel of kerosene (down 3,088 USD/barrel, equivalent to a 3.45% decrease);
87,660 USD/barrel of 0.05S diesel fuel (down 2,308 USD/barrel, equivalent to a 2.57% decrease);
392,696 USD/ton for 180CST 3.5S fuel oil (down 19,100 USD/ton, equivalent to a 4.64% decrease).
In this price adjustment, the regulatory agency continues to refrain from using funds from the Fuel Price Stabilization Fund.
Looking back from the beginning of the year until now, the petroleum market has experienced numerous fluctuations. The price of RON 95 gasoline has increased a total of 23 times and decreased 19 times. Similarly, the price of diesel has increased 21 times, decreased 19 times, and remained unchanged once.
