[Saudi Arabia Unexpectedly Lowers November Crude Oil Prices for Asia, Raises Prices for Northwest Europe and Mediterranean Regions] According to a report by Jinse Finance, on October 5, Saudi Arabia, the largest crude oil exporter in the Middle East, set the official selling price (OSP) for Arab Light crude oil destined for Asia in November at a discount of $5 per barrel to the Oman/Dubai average, a $3 decrease from the previous month. Data shows this is the largest discount since June 2020. This adjustment surprised the market. Surveys had originally predicted that Saudi Arabia would raise the November OSP by $3 per barrel to reflect the rise in Middle Eastern benchmark oil prices. Saudi Aramco also made larger reductions to the November OSP for Arab Medium and Arab Heavy crude oil destined for Asia, with both being lowered by $5 per barrel. On the other hand, after resuming crude oil exports via the Red Sea's Yanbu port, Saudi Aramco raised the November OSP for all grades of crude oil destined for Northwest Europe by $3 per barrel. For U.S. buyers, Saudi Aramco kept the November OSP unchanged. Saudi Arabia and other OPEC+ member countries decided on Sunday to maintain their crude oil production targets for November. This decision aligns with market expectations that production policies are unlikely to be further adjusted before next year. (Jin10)