China’s imports from Saudi Arabia fell 21 percent in May from a year earlier but retained their top ranking among suppliers for a ninth month in a row, customs data showed

Shipments from Saudi Arabia were 6.47 million tonnes last month, or 1.57 million barrels per day (bpd), hitting their lowest since October, data from the General Administration of Chinese Customs showed

Total crude imports by the world’s third-biggest oil importer fell to 3.97 million barrels per day (bpd) in the 2021 fiscal year to March 31, down 11.8% from a year earlier, the data showed

China, the world’s top crude importer, is one of the few countries to have boosted purchases in 2020, as buyers made the most of low prices earlier this year, while fuel demand recovered from the second quarter along with the broader economy

Ecuador’s government will allow private companies to import and sell some fuels for industrial and commercial use, ending a monopoly state-owned Petroecuador had in the sector, the energy ministry said