Karachi: Pakistan's Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) experienced a decline in sales in August 2026, with a drop of 3% year-on-year and 16% month-on-month, totaling 1.3 million tons. Despite this, cumulative sales for the first two months of the fiscal year 2027 showed a 10% increase, reaching 2.8 million tons.

According to JS Global, the decline in sales for August was largely attributed to a significant rise in fuel prices. Motor Spirit (MS) prices increased by 26% year-on-year and 6% month-on-month, while High-Speed Diesel (HSD) prices surged by 36% year-on-year and 11% month-on-month. These price hikes impacted demand. Excluding Furnace Oil (FO), August sales were 1.2 million tons, reflecting a 9% year-on-year and 23% month-on-month decrease. However, the cumulative ex-FO sales for the two-month period rose by 7% year-on-year to 2.7 million tons.

Petrol sales in August fell by 1% year-on-year and 9% month-on-month to 666,000 tons, while diesel sales decreased by 19% year-on-year and 32% month-on-month to 422,000 tons. In contrast, Furnace Oil recorded a fivefold increase year-on-year and a 26% month-on-month rise due to higher demand amid LNG shortages and increased loadshedding in Punjab, prompting power plants to use FO.

Among listed companies, Attock Petroleum's sales were up 8% year-on-year but down 5% month-on-month at 121,000 tons, increasing its market share to 9.61%. Pakistan State Oil's sales rose 4% year-on-year but fell 19% month-on-month to 570,000 tons, with a market share drop to 45.21% due to a decline in FO market share. Wafi Energy saw a 1% year-on-year increase but an 18% month-on-month decrease in sales to 107,000 tons. HASCOL was the only company to report a year-on-year decline, with sales down 16% to 35,000 tons.

JS Global projects that OMC sales for fiscal year 2027 will grow in the range of 8-10%.