The Automobile Association advises motorists to be cautious before committing the money they saves on fuel over the past few months to other expenses. In a press statement released to the media, the months-long downward trend in fuel prices has reversed sharply in February.
The AA commented on un-audited mid-month fuel price data issued by the Central Energy Fund.
“International fuel prices have climbed by over 20 per cent since the last week of January,” the AA said. “A spike in the Rand / US dollar exchange rate has also put pressure on the fuel price, with current data predicting a March price increase for petrol of around 68 cents a litre, with diesel and illuminating paraffin up by approximately 45 and 48 cents a litre respectively.”
The Association said this was the first under-recovery in several months and that substantial improvements in both the exchange rate and international petroleum prices would be needed if motorists were to avoid a fuel price hike at the end of the month. “It’s too early to tell whether the uptick in fuel prices is mere volatility or a sign that the bottom of the cycle has been reached,” the AA said.
