Cyprus petroleum product sales down 12.8% in Jan-April

Sales of petroleum products dropped by 12.8% over the year earlier in the first four months of the year to 401,472 tonnes in January-April compared with 460,155 in the same period of 2012.
In April, the first full month after the banking crisis, total sales fell by a less mild 7.1% to 29,201 tonnes. This was mainly because of a 34.1% increase in purchases of marine gasoil by ships to 4,600 tonnes, which reflects a buoyant shipping sector, as well as a 8.5% rise in purchases of heavy fuel oil for electricity purposes to 16,582 tonnes, which could reflect either lower oil prices or an unusually hot late April.
On the retail side, sales of unleaded 95 RON gasoline at petrol stations fell by 2.6% over the year earlier in April, whereas sales of the more expensive unleaded 98 tumbled by 22.9%.
Total stocks of petroleum products recorded a decline of 10.3% at the end of April compared with the previous month and a fall of 24% compared with April 2012.