Expert explains why fuel prices may surprise Ukrainians in December.

Experts predict that by the end of 2024, fuel prices will rise by 9% and remain at this level in the following year. However, fuel market expert and director of the consulting company 'A-95' Serhiy Kuyn doubts such a forecast.

Kuyn notes that the current average price of fuel is 53 hryvnias per liter. Therefore, according to him, a 10% increase would mean an additional 5 hryvnias to the price of 1 liter of fuel.

'I don’t see why fuel should become more expensive by 5 hryvnias per liter today. Crude oil should cost 90 dollars per barrel, not 75 dollars as it is today. Or something else must happen,' says Serhiy Kuyn.

The expert also adds that December is traditionally a period of falling fuel prices due to holiday promotions and reduced demand.

'Usually, for us, December is the last month of active consumption before winter, January, and February, which are always, as they say, 'dead' months. December, on the contrary, is the most 'alive'. Therefore, prices usually drop due to numerous promotions and efforts to sell before the holidays,' predicts the expert.

Thus, Kuyn believes that there may be pleasant surprises in the Ukrainian fuel market in the form of falling prices, rather than rising.