Both Oil Refineries and Paz Ashdod raised their prices within days of each other.
Sources inform ''Globes'' that a number of energy companies have asked Antitrust Authority director Ronit Kan to examine the decision by Paz Refineries Ashdod Ltd. and Oil Refineries Ltd. (TASE:ORL) to raise their prices.
The appeal to the Antitrust Authority comes as it discusses the conditions for approving the merger of Pi Gliloth Petroleum Terminals and Pipelines Ltd. with Delek Group Ltd. (TASE: DLEKG). Small and medium sized energy companies allege that the merger will exacerbate the centrality in the energy economy even further.
As reported last week in "Globes", Paz Ashdod upped its wholesale prices by 2% on average, three days after Oil Refineries raised its own prices. These price increases were above the gate price for fuel, which is based on international rates. The energy companies are therefore calling for an investigation into possible price fixing by the two refineries.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on July 24, 2007
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2007