Higher global crude costs, falling domestic inflation lead to decision

　　China raised fuel prices for the second time this year, hiking gasoline and diesel by 6.5 percent to 7 percent effective on Tuesday, amid rising world crude oil prices and falling domestic inflation。

　　Prices went up by 600 yuan ($94.90) a metric ton, the biggest hike since June 2009.

　　The average gasoline price went up 6.5 percent to 9,980 yuan a metric ton, while diesel prices rose 7 percent to 9,130 yuan a metric ton. Both prices are record highs。

　　China, the world's second-biggest oil user, raised fuel prices for the first time this year by 300 yuan a ton on Feb 8.

　　The prices are set in reference to a basket of crudes (Brent, Dubai and Cinta)， which jumped more than 10 percent in the past 22 working days。

　　That surge laid the foundation for the hike, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said on Monday。

　　The NDRC said the raises will take effect before the spring peak use period to discourage speculation and hoarding and thus guarantee supply。

　　China introduced the current system in 2009, under which it adjusts refined oil product prices when the basket moves more than 4 percent within 22 working days。

　　國家發(fā)改委19日宣布，自3月20日零時(shí)起將汽、柴油價(jià)格每噸提高600元，相當(dāng)于全國90號(hào)汽油和0號(hào)柴油平均每升分別提高0.44元和0.51元。業(yè)內(nèi)人士稱，此次成品油價(jià)格上調(diào)幅度是2009年7月以來最大的一次，調(diào)整后的汽柴油價(jià)格創(chuàng)歷史新高，93號(hào)汽油步入8元時(shí)代。

　　國家發(fā)改委有關(guān)負(fù)責(zé)人說，根據(jù)現(xiàn)行成品油定價(jià)機(jī)制，當(dāng)國際市場原油連續(xù)22個(gè)工作日移動(dòng)平均價(jià)格超過4%時(shí)，可相應(yīng)調(diào)整國內(nèi)成品油價(jià)格。2月8日成品油價(jià)格調(diào)整后，受伊朗核危機(jī)等因素影響，國際市場油價(jià)大幅攀升。2月下旬和3月上旬，美國西德克薩斯原油和英國北海布倫特原油期貨價(jià)格分別達(dá)到每桶109.8美元和126.2美元，均創(chuàng)2011年4月份以來的最高水平。