Italy’s March lube demand rises

Italy’s lubricating oil consumption rose to a one-year high in March amid a seasonal pick-up in demand.

Consumption of 36,700t in March rose by 15pc from 32,000t in February, government data showed.

Demand rose from month-earlier levels for a third month to the highest since March 2022.

Sales fell from year-earlier levels in March for the sixth time in seven months.

Demand for automobile lubricants rose in March from year-earlier levels for the fifth time in six months.

Consumption of industrial oils fell in March for an eighteenth straight month.