Energy and fuel markets face volatility in Europe and Poland

Energy and fuel markets in Europe and Poland are experiencing significant volatility. In Europe, electricity spot prices rose in July due to high commodity costs and heatwaves affecting power plant cooling, particularly in France, Hungary, and Romania.

In Poland, fuel prices show diverging trends. While wholesale prices for gasoline (Pb95) and diesel have dropped, leading to expected retail price decreases, analysts note that diesel remains more expensive due to high import needs and supply chain risks. Experts warn that extreme weather or geopolitical tensions could potentially drive prices much higher in the future.

On the regulatory front, the Polish government is considering expanding the windfall tax to include gas suppliers. Meanwhile, the Energy Regulatory Office confirmed that regulated gas tariffs for households will remain stable through the end of 2027.

In the corporate sector, ORLEN Group reported strong Q2 2026 results with a net profit of 7.7 billion PLN, driven largely by its international fuel stations, despite maintaining minimal retail margins in Poland.