Diesel prices set to rise further as Saudi Arabia diverts oil to Asia

Sep 17, 2026

Diesel shortages and record fuel costs are about to get worse in the U.S. because Saudi Arabia is steering its oil to China instead of the West, which is bad for truckers, airlines, builders, and anyone betting the worst is over.

  • Saudi Arabia is selling extra crude to Asian refiners through ship-to-ship transfers just outside the Strait of Hormuz, while halting Red Sea loadings and cutting off European buyers.
  • Markets cheered the "more oil" headline, but none of it is coming to America — it follows a two-year-old Saudi–China supply-and-protection deal that pulls Riyadh toward BRICS.
  • Diesel is already at $9–10 a gallon in California and some gas stations are completely out, yet U.S. refiners keep exporting diesel for record profits while trucking companies buckle.
  • Stocks are swinging wildly on oil and Fed fears, and gold and silver are moving in lockstep with the market — a pattern seen before the 2008 crash, pointing to a sharp drop in metals as paper traders dump positions.
  • Rising overnight lending rates signal banks are getting nervous about lending to each other and leaning on the Fed for cash.

Outlook: Expect tighter diesel supplies and higher prices in the coming weeks, a possible move by Trump to block the Saudi–China flow that could raise the risk of conflict, and a 20–25% stock drop before Washington pushes the Fed to print again around the midterms.

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