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Asia fuel oil margins soar tracking strength in Europe market

Margins for high sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) rallied at Asia oil hub Singapore to more than twoyear highs this week, led by a strong European market, trade sources told Reuters.

The strength implies potentially higher procuring costs for the fuel which usually goes into refineries as feedstock or into refuelling hubs as marine fuel.

Singapore 380-cst HSFO/Dubai crack spread for November hit discounts of $2.85 a barrel at the Asia close on Thursday, based upon information from monetary group LSEG. The spread was last seen greater in May 2022. On the other hand, the December crack spread closed at discounts of about $5 a. barrel.

Margins have rallied greater in spite of a boost in fuel oil. products to Asia this month, with strength spilling over from. markets in the West, trade sources said.

Supplies into Europe's Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp oil center. have tightened this month and increased European cost benchmarks.

The 3.5% Rotterdam barge fracture spread to Brent futures. skyrocketed to a $3.78 a barrel premium today, data from LSEG. revealed, their highest since LSEG records begin in 1988.

The European market has actually tightened up amid declining imports. from the United States in the middle of an arbitrage window that is shut,. according to trade sources.

HSFO inflows from the U.S. to Rotterdam have actually dropped from. over 200,000 metric heaps in September to zero in October so far,. with simply one freight of about 72,000 tons expected to get here in. end-October, Kpler information revealed.

A spike in Egyptian demand for fuel oil coincided with the. lower supply in Europe, buoying margins for the fuel.

Stress in the Middle East, which is an essential exporting area. of fuel oil, also kept sentiment supported, sources said.

(source: Reuters)