India’s Oct Grp III imports stay mixed

India’s imports of Group III 4cst and 8cst base oils stayed mixed in October amid signs of a sustained rise in consumption of 4cst supplies.

Imports of Group III 4cst base oils came to around 17,000t in October, provisional customs data showed.

The volume fell from more than 21,000t the previous month. It was still the third highest in more than two years.

The sustained rise in demand for 4cst supplies boosted total imports to more than 146,000t in the first ten months of the year.

The volume was up more than 45pc from around 100,000t during the same period last year.

Imports of 8cst base oils in October held at close to 10,000t for a second month. They fell from year-earlier levels for a sixteenth month.

The fall in shipments cut total imports of 8cst to around 86,000t in the first ten months of the year, down more than half from almost 190,000t during the same period last year.