Markets

The US, led by the Trump Administration and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, is pushing for aggressive new measures to

The APPEC conference in Singapore, hosted by S&P Global Commodity Insights, focused on a range of challenges for Asia's energy sector.

The country is expected to continue stockpiling crude oil in its strategic and commercial reserves well into 2026, a move driven by long-term energy security rather than a rebound in demand.

Asia's position as the world's largest oil-importing region is shaping global crude oil trade flows.

US refiners are anticipating a market boost from the return of medium and heavy crude supplies from several global sources, which is expected to coincide with their seasonal maintenance.

Russian crude oil deliveries to Central Europe were repeatedly suspended in Aug. after a series of Ukrainian drone attacks on a key pumping station on the Druzhba pipeline system.

In Aug. 2025, the US increased pressure on India to halt its purchases of Russian crude oil, leading to a complex standoff.

Asian refiners widely prefer that India continues to import large volumes of Russian crude, as this strategy significantly reduces competition for their traditional staple of Middle Eastern sour crude.

The global sanctions campaign against Russia, spearheaded by the US and EU, is creating significant pressure on Russia's energy trade, compelling a reevaluation of its export strategies and straining its relationships with key buyers

The U.S., under President Trump, is ramping up economic pressure on Russia's key energy buyers, India and China, threatening new tariffs to curb their purchases of Russian crude.