Oil prices in the international markets fall significantly compared to the maximum increase in the months of September and October.

However, the downward trend is not reflected in the price at which oil is traded in Albania.

At the beginning of this week, Brent oil was trading at the limit of $78 per barrel, down nearly 18% compared to the price per barrel in September, which was $96.55.

Concretely, on Monday, gasoil on the London Stock Exchange was traded at the price of about 793 USD per ton, this value is significantly lower than the price of two months ago, which was almost 1000 USD/ton.

While retail prices in Europe and international markets have followed the trend of the stock market, it seems that the opposite is happening in Albania, where the retail price at gas stations in Albania continues to remain unchanged and very close to the level of 200 lek per liter.

Even the strengthening of the lek against the dollar in recent days has not brought down prices. At the beginning of this week, the US dollar was exchanged at 93.6 ALL, falling 7% from the value at the beginning of November.

The fuel market has a high dependence on imports. Figures analyzed by the Competition Authority show that three companies in the country own 75% of the wholesale oil market.

Meanwhile, from a study by Global Petrol Prices, Albania ranks 5th in the world for the most expensive price of oil, where a liter of oil costs 197 ALL, 73 ALL more expensive than the average price in the world.