Auto lube demand rises for first time in three months
Industrial oils consumption falls for seventeenth month
Rising demand adds to pick-up in consumption in Brazil
Mexico’s lube demand rose in September for the first time in four months, reflecting signs of stabilising consumption in key Latin American markets like Brazil.
Total lube consumption of close to 54,000 kilolitres (47,600 tonnes) in September rose by 1% from year-earlier levels, government data showed.
Auto lube demand rises
Demand edged higher on the back of a rise in consumption of automobile lubricants for the first time in three months.
The uptick coincided with a recovery in the country’s automobile sales in September, with the trend accelerating in October.
Industrial oils demand falls
Mexico’s industrial oils consumption by contrast extended its decline, falling for a seventeenth straight month amid an extended slowdown in Mexico’s industrial production since mid-2024.
Base oils demand boost
The improvement in Mexico’s lube consumption in September aligns with a recovery in Brazil’s lubricants market, following a sustained contraction throughout most of the year.
A pick-up in demand in Latin America’s two largest markets would likely trigger additional requirements for base oils imports from overseas suppliers.
