據Trend News Agency 7月11日消息：Trend援引海灣商業報道稱，沙特阿拉伯政府為國內汽油價格設定了上限，并表示該國將承擔任何額外費用，從而軟化了能源補貼削減計劃。

　　沙特官方新聞機構發表聲明稱，截至周六，當地汽油價格的上限將定為6月份的水平，即每升91辛烷值2.18南非蘭特。一個負責修改能源價格的國家委員會在聲明中表示，做出這一決定是為了“減輕公民和居民的生活成本負擔”，并“支持當地經濟活動”。

　　這一變化將削弱王儲穆罕默德·本·薩勒曼 (Mohammed bin Salman) 推行的補貼改革的影響，并回應沙特人對其經濟多元化計劃下生活成本上升的抱怨。全球最大石油出口國5月份的通貨膨脹率為5.7%——這是可獲得的最新數據——受食品和汽車價格上漲以及去年增值稅提高三倍的舉措推動。

　　自2015年以來，不斷上漲的汽油和電價引起了特別的憤怒，當時推出了補貼改革，以促進更高效的消費，并幫助填補因油價暴跌而導致的預算赤字。

　　上周，由于歐佩克+的分歧阻止了原油供應的增加，紐約原油價格短暫躍升至六年多以來的最高水平。原油價格飆升，再加上其他大宗商品的上漲，讓各國央行再次擔心通脹。

　　該委員會表示，沙特阿拉伯當地的汽油成本仍將根據全球能源價格每月發生變化，但現在政府將承擔超過6月份價格的任何上漲的差額。

　　祝精燕 摘譯自 Trend News Agency

　　原文如下：

　　Saudi sets upper limit for gasoline prices as oil prices climb

　　Saudi Arabia’s government set an upper limit for domestic gasoline prices and said the state would bear any extra costs, softening an energy subsidy cut programme, Trend reports citing Gulf Business.

　　The ceiling for local gasoline prices will be set at June’s levels, or SAR2.18 per litre of 91 octane, as of Saturday, according to a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency. The decision was made to “decrease the burden of living costs on citizens and residents” and “support local economic activity,” a state committee for amending energy prices said in the statement.

　　The change will blunt the impact of subsidy reforms introduced by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and is a nod to complaints from Saudis about the rising cost of living under his economic diversification programme. Inflation in the world’s largest oil exporter stood at 5.7 per cent in May — the latest figure available — driven by higher food and vehicle prices as well as a move to triple the value-added tax last year.

　　Rising gasoline and electricity prices have drawn particular ire since 2015, when the subsidy reform was introduced to promote more efficient consumption and help plug a budget deficit brought on by plunging oil prices.

　　Last week, crude prices jumped briefly to the highest in more than six years in New York after discord at the OPEC+ stopped a supply increase. Crude’s surge, combined with a rally in other commodities, has central banks fretting about inflation again.

　　Saudi Arabia’s local cost of gasoline will still change monthly in response to global energy prices, but now the government will cover the difference of any increase that would have exceeded June prices, the committee said.