Oil-crude premiums surge as U.S. cuts Russian supply and Asian buyers pivot

Spot crude premiums in the Middle East and Asia climbed sharply after the U.S. imposed sanctions on Russian producers Rosneft and Lukoil, prompting a scramble for alternative feed-stocks by large importers such as India and China. Middle-East sour grades saw the steepest premium moves, with Cash Dubai and Oman/Murban hitting multi-week highs. The shift adds inflationary pressure for Asian refiners and may feed through into downstream product pricing. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}