China reduces imports to 6.5 million barrels per day, keeps oil prices below $100, and eases global pressure even with Hormuz closed.

Written by Fabio Lucas Carvalho

Published on 29/05/2026 at 20:05

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Even with the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a route associated with 20% of global supply, Brent oil fell back below $100 after China reduced imports, altered refinery operations, and maintained doubts about its stocks.

The reduction of Chinese imports, the lack of transparency about stocks, and the change in refinery operations helped contain the surge in oil prices, even with the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the impact on a route associated with 20% of global supply.

Initial projections indicated that a prolonged conflict could push the barrel up to $200. However, Brent returned to trading below $100 amid expectations of an extended ceasefire, despite the interruption in Hormuz.

China reduces purchases and eases global pressure

China has decreased oil imports since the beginning of the war, a move that reduced pressure on the international market amid the supply shock. Before the conflict, the country was buying 11 million barrels per day. In April, this volume fell to 9.3 million barrels daily.

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Chinese stocks complicate market reading

Salih Yilmaz, an analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, assesses that prices would be much higher if Chinese imports had remained at the previous pace. One of the central points is the opacity of Chinese stocks.

Analysts can track visible tanks and tanker flows, but underground reserves and other stocks are harder to measure. So far, there has been no observed release from China’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve, although refineries may resort to commercial stocks.

Refineries change operations during the crisis

The Chinese response included reducing purchases for stock formation, decreasing crude oil processing, altering the mix of derivatives, and expanding the use of coal in the production of certain chemicals. The country also temporarily banned exports of refined products.

The question is how long this strategy can continue without greater use of reserves or a resumption of imports. The International Energy Agency warned of a record drain on global stocks, while an Exxon Mobil executive mentioned unprecedented levels.

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China reduces imports to 6.5 million barrels per day, keeps oil prices below $100, and eases global pressure even with Hormuz closed.

Even with the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a route associated with 20% of global supply, Brent oil fell back below $100 after China reduced imports, altered refinery operations, and maintained doubts about its stocks.

China reduces purchases and eases global pressure

Chinese stocks complicate market reading

Refineries change operations during the crisis

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China reduces imports to 6.5 million barrels per day, keeps oil prices below $100, and eases global pressure even with Hormuz closed.

Even with the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a route associated with 20% of global supply, Brent oil fell back below $100 after China reduced imports, altered refinery operations, and maintained doubts about its stocks.

China reduces purchases and eases global pressure

Chinese stocks complicate market reading

Refineries change operations during the crisis

Libya built over 4,000 kilometers of underground pipelines to bring water from the Sahara to coastal cities in a project that the government itself called the Eighth Wonder of the World.

Desert sand, previously discarded for being too smooth for concrete, becomes an ecological brick in the United Arab Emirates, dispensing with Portland cement, curing at room temperature, and attempting to transform dunes useless for construction into raw material for a new arid engineering.

He transformed an abandoned plastic water tank into an underground house in the “hobbit hole” style, using only repurposed pallet wood, without heavy machinery or expensive labor.

China transforms desert-devastated area into the world’s largest artificial forest, planting trees for 60 years, blocking sand that reached Beijing, and creating a “green lung” of 92,000 hectares in a region once considered lost.

Toyota launches “family hybrid van” with 7 or 8 seats, 1.8 hybrid engine, fuel consumption of up to 23.8 km/l, and a price equivalent to about R$ 104,000 without taxes, below the Tiggo 8 Pro Plug-in Hybrid sold in Brazil: meet the Noah Hybrid 2026 in Japan.

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