End of bonus?
Gasoline and diesel prices have continued their downward slide, dipping again in the latest weekly data. After earlier increases and the subsequent discounts, both fuels are now hovering near their lowest levels since late autumn. Government policy makers are watching closely, as they prepare to decide in the next few days whether to extend a temporary subsidy that lowers pump prices. The current 20 cents per liter discount applies to all consumers from April, a measure designed to cushion households and small businesses from the costs of energy shocks tied to global events.
The EU Petroleum Bulletin, which aggregates daily price data from more than 11,400 Spanish gas stations for the week ended 5 December, shows gasoline averaging 1.488 euros per liter after discounts, with diesel at 1.563 euros per liter. These figures reflect a wide geographic sample across the country and provide a snapshot of how market movements are translating into what drivers pay at the pump.
Compared with the previous seven days, gasoline prices have fallen by about 2.8 percent, while diesel has declined around 3.6 percent. The pattern follows a sixth consecutive weekly decline for diesel and a third straight drop for gasoline, underscoring a broader easing in fuel costs. This trend marks gasoline’s lowest price point since the first week of October and continues diesel’s extended downward path, with levels not seen since February of the prior year before the current conflict dynamics intensified. The situation is often linked to the ongoing disruptions and geopolitical tensions surrounding the Ukrainian conflict, which have influenced supply and pricing in European markets.
A key question for consumers and policymakers alike is whether the fuel bonus will be maintained beyond its current window. The prices are inching toward a point where the government’s step to implement price relief could be extended through year end, especially for specific groups most affected by volatility in energy markets. Officials are weighing the domestic budgetary impact and the broader goal of stabilizing household energy costs during a period of fluctuating global prices.
When prices are compared with the start of the year, gasoline shows a marginal increase of about 0.6 percent, while diesel is up roughly 16 percent. Yet both fuels remain well below their peak levels from mid-year, when price surges driven by international tensions pushed costs higher. The current pricing landscape implies a relatively modest change in the cost of fueling up a typical household vehicle. For example, filling a standard 55-liter tank with gasoline runs around 82 euros, while diesel would require about 86 euros, illustrating how recent discounts have narrowed the gap between different fuel types. In practical terms, the weekly cost of refueling at current prices remains close to not far from the level seen at the same time last year for gasoline and modestly higher for diesel, reflecting ongoing market dynamics.