Refinery stocks are getting a boost from the Singapore reference refining margin, which rose to around 20.5 dollars per barrel in late September 2026 and is expected to hold at high levels. Suwat Sinsadok, managing director of Global Securities, said the fourth-quarter 2026 refining margin will be close to the 20.5 dollars per barrel seen in the third quarter and could reach as high as 30 dollars per barrel given tight global oil supply. He set a target price of 88 baht per share for Thai Oil, or TOP, the most outstanding stock in the group. Sorachai Pitayapruek, a fundamental analyst at Krungsri Securities, said the catalyst came from an attack on the East-West oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia that forced a temporary shutdown, pushing tanker freight rates from more than 10 dollars per barrel to more than 20 dollars per barrel. He expects the fourth-quarter 2026 refining margin to stay in double digits, supported by winter oil storage demand. Third-quarter 2026 earnings for the refinery group are expected to recover clearly, especially TOP, which posted a stock loss of about 7 billion baht in the second quarter of 2026 and may instead book a stock gain. Krungsri Securities maintained a positive investment weighting on refinery stocks, naming TOP the most outstanding with a target price of 83 baht, supported by its Clean Fuel Project.
Thai Oil Public Company LimitedSurging Singapore refining margin on tight global oil supply and Saudi pipeline attack shutdown boosts TOP's refining earnings, with brokers naming it top pick.
