KARACHI: Oil marketing company (OMC) sales showed mixed trends in May 2026 as higher fuel prices continued to pressure demand across Pakistan’s petroleum sector.
According to brokerage data, total OMC sales reached 1.17 million tonnes in May 2026, compared to the same period last year. The increase in petrol and diesel prices largely drove the market impact. However, overall growth remained limited as demand weakened in key fuel categories.
Despite the monthly slowdown, cumulative sales in the first eleven months of FY2026 rose slightly. Volumes increased by 1% year-on-year to 14.9 million tonnes, compared to 14.8 million tonnes in the same period of FY2025.
Analyst Myesha Sohail from Topline Research said sales excluding furnace oil fell sharply in May. Ex-FO volumes dropped 21% year-on-year and 7% month-on-month to 1.14 million tonnes. Nevertheless, cumulative ex-FO sales increased 2% over 11MFY26.
Fuel prices remained the key pressure factor. Motor Spirit (petrol) prices rose 59% year-on-year to Rs402 per litre in May 2026. Meanwhile, High-Speed Diesel prices increased 57% year-on-year to Rs401 per litre.
Petrol sales declined 12% year-on-year to 617,000 tonnes. Diesel sales fell more sharply, dropping 32% year-on-year and 17% month-on-month to 455,000 tonnes.
Furnace oil recorded the steepest fall. Volumes plunged 64% year-on-year and 79% month-on-month to just 29,000 tonnes. Analysts linked this decline to normalization after unusually high demand in April.
Among listed companies, Attock Petroleum Limited reported a 30% year-on-year decline in sales. Pakistan State Oil posted 518,000 tonnes in sales, down 19% year-on-year, but it still increased its market share to 44.15%.
Wafi Energy was the only major player to post monthly growth. Its sales rose 3% month-on-month, although volumes stayed below last year’s level. Hascol Petroleum also reported declines in both monthly and yearly performance.
Finally, analysts expect fuel demand to remain sensitive to price changes, economic conditions, and transport activity, while government revenue from petroleum levies may stay strong if current pricing continues.
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