Fuel Prices Rise Sharply as Oil Prices Surge 30%

Brent oil surges and you notice it at the pump quickly. In just two weeks, the oil price rises by as much as 30%, and fuel prices follow suit swiftly. Yet it is not only the oil price increase itself that stands out, but especially the speed at which pump prices move in tandem.

Rockets and feathers: prices up like a rocket, down like a feather

Economists have long known the phenomenon: the so-called ‘rockets and feathers’ effect. As soon as the oil price rises, fuel prices shoot up rapidly. But when the market cools and oil becomes cheaper, pump prices decline much more slowly. The effect is not unique to petrol and diesel; this pattern is also regularly visible in the food industry.

For consumers, this means that when oil prices rise, they are immediately hit in the wallet, while when oil prices fall, they have to wait a long time before that benefit becomes visible at the pump. Anyone who thought their feeling was correct is right: fuel prices do indeed rise faster than they fall.

Euro95 rises towards €2.60 after months of calm

The price development of Euro95 shows a clear picture. After a relatively stable period between August and December 2025, with prices around €2.15 to €2.20, the price begins to rise sharply from the start of 2026. In spring 2026, Euro95 reaches a peak of over €2.60 per litre, followed by a slight decline. Recently, the price is once again climbing towards those levels.

The Brent futures chart confirms the picture. After a low point around $70 per barrel in June 2026, the oil price recovers strongly. The current price is around $88 to $89 per barrel. That rapid rebound directly explains why motorists at the pump are once again paying more. As long as the oil price remains at this level or rises further, a decline in fuel prices is not to be expected in the short term.