India’s lubricating oil demand rose in September for the third time in four months even ahead of a seasonal pick-up in consumption in the fourth quarter of the year.Total lube demand of 319,000t in September rose by 20pc from year-earlier levels, government data showed.The strong consumption lifted total demand to 3.0mn t in the first nine months of the year, up from 2.96mn t during the same period last year.Lube demand had lagged year-earlier levels by 9pc in the first four months of the year.Rising lube consumption mirrored increasingly strong passenger-car sales in September. Demand for new vehicles was expected to hold firm over the coming weeks during the festive season. Strong lube demand raised the prospect of supporting firm base oils imports as blenders replenish depleted stocks..India’s Aug base oil supply lags demand
