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Follow the money: Why is diesel so expensive?

Gulf oil exports have largely recovered, but diesel prices remain near record highs. We follow what's keeping them there.

The war in the Middle East has pushed up crude oil prices this year and that's had a knock-on effect on the price of refined oil products like diesel. But after months of conflict, the Gulf's oil-producing nations are now getting most of their exports out, so why hasn't the price of diesel come down? And will it fall now that Donald Trump has reached a deal allowing Russia to export diesel again? The BBC's Sam Fenwick traces the journey of a barrel of oil from the Middle East to the petrol pump, looking at the rising costs along the way.

(Photo: A worker fills a lorry with diesel in London on 2 October 2026. Credit: Yui Mok/PA)

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Producer: Gideon Long

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