According to the IEA's latest forecast, global oil demand growth will drop to 730,000 barrels per day in 2025, a decrease of approximately 30% from its previous projection. By 2026, the demand growth rate is expected to slow further to just 690,000 barrels per day. The main reasons for this downward revision of demand include the adverse impacts of trade frictions and the rising penetration rate of electric vehicles, which are gradually replacing traditional oil consumption, especially in many developed countries and regions worldwide.
According to the IEA's latest forecast, global oil demand growth will drop to 730,000 barrels per day in 2025, a decline of approximately 30% from its prior projection. By 2026, demand growth is expected to slow further to just 690,000 barrels per day (bpd). The primary drivers of this demand downward revision include the adverse effects of trade frictions and the rising penetration rate of electric vehicles, which are gradually displacing traditional oil consumption—particularly in numerous developed countries and reg
The sudden escalation of trade frictions in early April has deteriorated the global economic outlook, compelling us to revise down our demand forecasts," IEA analysts stated in the report. After the U.S. announced a series of tariff measures, the global oil market felt the impact immediately. Last week, Brent crude futures prices briefly fell below $60 per barrel, hitting the lowest level in four years. While Brent futures had edged back up to around $65 as of Tuesday, investors remained pessimistic about the outlook for future oil demand.
On the supply side, OPEC+’s production decisions have emerged as a key variable. The IEA analysis holds that Saudi Arabia pushed OPEC+ to ramp up production, tripling the planned output increase for May in an attempt to pressure other OPEC members to abide by production limits—only to exacerbate the global oil supply glut. Meanwhile, while annual production growth expectations for non-OPEC countries have moderated, they will still hit a record high in 2025, prolonging the supply surplus. The IEA forecasts that by 2026, the oil market will see a supply glut of 1.7 million barrels per day (bpd).