MOSCOW, April 21 (Reuters) - Urals crude oil
differentials to dated Brent held steady on Friday, while
traders expect prices for the grade to firm in May amid rising
demand and growing competition between consumers in Asia.
* Chinese state oil giants and major private refiners are
sweeping
up more Russian crude, supporting prices and forcing smaller
independents to seek out cheap alternatives such as Iranian oil,
according to trade sources and shipping data.
* Kazakhstan ramped up oil exports bypassing Russia in the
first
quarter of 2023 as it seeks to reduce its dependency on its vast
neighbour, data from industry sources and Refinitiv showed.
PLATTS WINDOW
* No bids or offers were made for Urals, Azeri BTC or CPC
Blend in
the Platts window on Friday, traders said.
NEWS
* Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the OPEC+ deal
to cap
oil production with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed
bin Salman, in a telephone call on Friday, the Kremlin said.
(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Jan Harvey)
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.