Asia’s high sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) differentials widened in discounts on Wednesday, with the product trading softer day-on-day.

The 380-cst HSFO cash differential was pegged at a discount wider than $5 a metric ton to cargo quotes. The prompt market structure also sank into a deeper contango, brokers said.

Refining cracks for HSFO hovered at discounts wider than $1 a barrel to crude futures, based on LSEG data.

Meanwhile, very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) found some support in recent trading sessions, though downstream bunker premiums saw little recovery, according to trade sources.

Reflecting the weaker performance in HSFO, the hi-5 marker (FO05-380SGMc1) widened day-on-day to more than $84 a ton.

INVENTORY DATA

– Fujairah heavy fuel inventories (FUJHD04) fell 13.5% to 8.95 million barrels (1.41 million tons) in the week to June 30, FOIZ data published by S&P Global Commodity Insights showed.

OTHER NEWS

– Oil futures were little changed on Wednesday as markets weighed expectations from more supply from major producers next month, a softer U.S. dollar and a mixed bag of economic and market indicators from the U.S.

– Saudi Arabia’s oil exports jumped to the highest level in more than a year in June as the kingdom shipped more crude to overseas storage amid fears of possible supply disruptions owing to conflict in the Middle East.

– Egypt’s petroleum ministry said on Tuesday that it received a report from oil and gas production company Offshore Shukheir Oil Company about a capsized drillship in the Gulf of Suez.

– Australia’s BHP Group has signed contracts with China’s COSCO Shipping for the charter of two ammonia dual-fuelled Newcastlemax bulk carriers, the mining giant said on Wednesday.

WINDOW TRADES

– 180-cst HSFO: No trade
– 380-cst HSFO: Three trades
– 0.5% VLSFO: Four trades
Source: Reuters