Asia Fuel Oil-Spot premiums, margins for VLSFO at one-month lows

Kitco Media
By Reuters
Published:
Updated:
Reuters
SINGAPORE, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Asia's spot cash premiums and refining margins for 0.5% very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) ended at a month's low on Friday, weighed by persistent supply inflows and tepid bunkering demand. The spot 0.5% VLSFO cash differential edged lower to a premium of $11.70 a tonne. The front-month crack was at a premium of $9.10 a barrel at Friday's Asia close (0830 GMT). Meanwhile, margins for 380-cst high sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) rebounded slightly this week, closing at a discount of $17.63 a barrel at the Asia close. FUJAIRAH BUNKER SALES Marine fuel sales at the world's third-largest bunkering hub of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates fell to 11-month lows in January, latest Fujairah Oil Industry Zone data showed. Total bunkering volumes, excluding lubricants, were at 633,023 cubic metres (about 627,000 tonnes) in January, based on data from the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone published by industry information service S&P Global Commodity Insights. ARA INVENTORIES Fuel oil inventories in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) refining and storage hub slipped to two-month lows of 1.08 million tonnes in the week ended Feb. 16, latest data from Dutch consultancy Insights Global showed. OTHER NEWS


- Oil prices were on track for weekly losses as strong U.S. economic data heightened concerns that the Federal Reserve would further tighten monetary policy to tackle inflation, a move that could hit fuel demand even as crude stockpiles grow.


- Singapore-flagged tanker Maersk Magellan is looking for another location after being stopped from entering a Spanish port over an earlier oil transfer, its Danish operator Maersk Tankers said.


- Pertamina International Shipping (PIS), a unit of Indonesia's state energy firm, has secured a $185 million syndicated loan to fund investment in its fleet and infrastructure, the company said. - The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index , tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, fell to a near three-year low on waning demand for capesize and panamax vessel segments. WINDOW TRADES - 180-cst HSFO: No trade - 380-cst HSFO: One trade - 0.5% VLSFO: No trade ASSESSMENTS
FUEL OIL
CASH ($/T) ASIA CLOSE CHANGE PREV CLOSE RIC Cargo - 0.5% VLSFO 584.57 -30.87 615.44 Diff - 0.5% VLSFO 11.70 -3.24 14.94 Cargo - 180cst 418.52 -3.99 422.51 Diff - 180cst -1.77 0.73 -2.50 Cargo - 380cst 404.67 -8.96 413.63 Diff - 380cst 2.34 -0.29 2.63 Bunker (Ex-wharf) Premium - 380cst 9.00 0.00 9.00
Bunker (Ex-wharf) Premium - 0.5% VLSFO 18.00 -1.00 19.00
For a list of derivatives prices, including margins, please double click the RICs below. Brent M1 180cst M1 180cst M1/M2 180cst M2 Visco M1 Visco M2 380cst M1 380cst M1/M2 380cst M2 Cracks 180-Dubai M1 Cracks 180-Dubai M2 East-West M1 East-West M2 Barges M1 Barges M1/M2 Barges M2 Crack Barges-Brent M1 Crack Barges-Brent M2 (Reporting by Jeslyn Lerh; Editing by Varun H K)

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