Chinese buyers have halted some purchases of Russian crude as a US-led price cap initiative looms in less than two weeks, Bloomberg reported Tuesday.
Those customers are hesitant to complete purchases because once a price cap sets in, they might be able to secure cheaper supplies, traders told Bloomberg. Now, several cargoes of Russian ESPO crude remain without buyers for December-loading. The price cap is expected to coincide with the European Union's next round of sanctions, which will ban seaborne Russian crude imports into Europe as well as related services to customers worldwide.
The cap is meant to keep Russian crude flowing through global markets and prevent a price spike while also squeezing Moscow's finances and ability to fund its war in Ukraine. Since President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February, China and India have emerged as big buyers of Russian crude, while the US and other Western nations wean off doing business with Moscow.
G7/EU Price Cap on Russian Oil as of Dec 5 | Tanker Sector Fleet Small & Old | Charter Rates Spike
Good way to pressure the oil prices but its not going to work.