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costs fall further and its economy expands quickly, the IEA said in a quarterly report. That would boost global competition for the fuel and may push prices back up to the “unsustainable” levels seen last summer, it said. Reflecting the uncertainty over China’s demand, the IEA said there’s a difference of 40 billion cubic metres between the lowest and highest estimates of the nation’s net LNG imports this year. The top end of the range would see China’s imports surge well above the previous peak in 2021, the agency said. The estimate gap is equal to about 8% of what Europe may consume this year.For now, China’s total gas consumption is expected to rebound by almost 7% in 2023, according to the IEA. Europe’s usage dropped the most on record in 2022 and may ease slightly this year.
9.1.2 Automotive sector news
Russia’s car output fell by 77.6% on the year and by 47.1% on the month to d vehicles in January, the Federal State Statistics service said on Wednesday. The production of trucks decreased by 35.4% on the year and by 62.2% on the month to 5,800. In 2022, the car output fell by 67% on the year to 450,000 and the truck one by 24.3% on the year to 141,000.
Russia’s output of cars in all segments plummeted 60% to 620,000 units in 2022, Deputy Industry and Trade Minister Albert Karimov said Monday at a meeting at the parliament’s upper house Federation Council.
148 RUSSIA Country Report March 2023 www.intellinews.com