Title:Petrol prices near four-year high for many Australian motorists, ACCC says

Australian drivers are feeling the pinch at the petrol pump, with prices in some cities near four-year highs as international supply concerns drive up oil prices.

由于国际供应担忧推动油价上涨，一些城市的油价接近4年高点，因此澳大利亚的司机感到了油泵的紧缩。

A report by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) found average petrol prices across the five largest cities — Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth — have dramatically jumped from April, after being broadly stable for the first three months of the year.

澳大利亚竞争和消费者委员会（ACCC）的一份报告显示，4月份以来，全国五大城市（悉尼、墨尔本、布里斯班、阿德莱德和佩斯）的平均汽油价格大幅上涨。

"Consumers have recently been paying around $1.60 [per litre] for petrol," said ACCC chairman Rod Sims.

消费者最近花费了约1.60美元购买汽油。

"These prices are higher than any time since mid-2014 in some cities."

这些价格比2014年中期以来在一些城市中的任何时候都高。

The ACCC pointed the finger at international factors pushing up wholesale petrol prices.

Middle East tensions, the potential for renewed US sanctions against Iran and concerns over Venezuelan supply sent crude oil prices to four-year highs in May.

中东紧张局势、美国对伊朗重新实施制裁的可能性和对委内瑞拉供应的担忧，使原油价格在5月份升至四年高位。

Morgan Stanley analysts warned the fall in the Australian dollar could compound the impact of higher oil prices, all but wiping out the benefits of the Federal Government's proposed income tax cuts.

摩根士丹利的分析师警告说，澳元的下跌可能使油价上涨的影响进一步加剧，会抵消联邦政府拟议削减所得税带来的好处。

However, the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is due to meet later this month along with Russia and could decide to ease the current cap on output, which would likely lead to lower oil prices.

然而，石油输出国组织(欧佩克)将于本月晚些时候与俄罗斯一起开会，并可能决定放松目前的产出上限，因为这可能导致油价下降。

CommSec thinks petrol prices may have peaked, after weekly price data from the Australian Institute of Petroleum showed a 0.1 cent fall in national average prices last week, to 153.3 cents per litre for unleaded petrol.

澳大利亚石油公司(Australian Institute of Petroleum)提供的每周价格数据显示，澳大利亚全国平均价格上周下跌0.1%，为非铅汽油价格下跌153.3美分。

"The pump price should fall around 3 cents a litre to around $1.50 a litre in the next fortnight," said CommSec chief economist Craig James.

"For further falls in petrol prices to occur, Saudi Arabia and Russia will need to be more definite about an easing of the production restraint agreement."

为了进一步降低汽油价格，沙特阿拉伯和俄罗斯需要更加明确地放松生产限制协议。

In the meantime, the ACCC is advising Australian drivers to make use of fuel price websites and apps to shop around for the best price and avoid buying at the peak of the cycle.

同时，ACCC建议澳大利亚司机利用燃料价格网站和应用程序以最佳价格到处购物，避免在周期高峰买车。

"Our first industry report showed that retailers' prices are not the same — retailers do price differently and have different strategies to get you to fill up with them," Mr Sims said.

"Yesterday lunchtime, the available fuel websites and apps indicated that the range between the highest and lowest-priced sites was over 20 cents per litre (cpl) in Sydney and Adelaide, around 15cpl in Brisbane and Perth and around 10cpl in Melbourne."