News: BHP Asia Fuel Oil-Cash premiums little changed; Singapore's marine bunker sales decline

NEW DELHI, May 15 (Reuters) - Asia's fuel oil markets were broadly steady on Wednesday after inventories rose at the Fujairah commercial hub.

Cash premiums for VLSFO were up 25 cents at $6.40 a metric ton. Singapore's cash premium for 180-cst HSFO was pegged at a premium of $9.35 a ton.

Meanwhile, Singapore's marine bunker sales declined for a fourth consecutive month in April, official data showed late on Tuesday. April sales totalled 4.24 million metric tons at the world's largest ship refuelling hub, down 4.7% from March, according to data from Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority.

Monthly sales posted an annual decline for the first time in four months, a sign geopolitical shipping tensions have started to ease compared to the start of the year.

INVENTORIES Fuel oil inventories at the Fujairah trading hub rose by 458,000 barrels to 9.963 million barrels in the week to May 13, S&P Global Commodity Insights data showed.

OTHER NEWS - Two tankers on an Iran-related sanctions list carrying Russian fuel oil discharged in a Chinese port, LSEG data showed.

- The International Energy Agency (IEA) on Wednesday trimmed its forecast for 2024 oil demand growth, widening the gap with oil producer group OPEC in terms of expectations for this year's global oil demand outlook.

- Indonesian chemical company Chandra Asri Group has shut down its petrochemical plant in Cilegon for about 55 days for scheduled maintenance, the company said in a statement.

WINDOW TRADES - 180-cst HSFO: No trade - 380-cst HSFO: No trade - 0.5% VLSFO: Four trades

ASSESSMENTS FUEL OIL

 CASH ($/T)			  ASIA CLOSE  CHANGE	PREV	  RIC 
											   CLOSE	  
 Cargo - 0.5% VLSFO		  604.95	  0.53	604.42   MFO05-SIN  
 Diff - 0.5% VLSFO			 6.40	  0.25	  6.15   
 Cargo - 180cst			  507.29	  2.60	504.69   FO180-SIN  
 Diff - 180cst				 9.35	  0.42	  8.93   
 Cargo - 380cst			  492.24	  0.23	492.01   FO380-SIN  
 Diff - 380cst				 7.65	 -0.70	  8.35   
 Bunker (Ex-wharf)			 7.75	 -0.25	  8.00			  
 Premium - 380cst										 

 Bunker (Ex-wharf)			 8.00	  0.00	  8.00			  
 Premium - 0.5% VLSFO									 

For a list of derivatives prices, including margins, please double click the RICs below. Brent M1 BRENTSGMc1 180cst M1 FO180SGSWMc1 180cst M1/M2 FO180SGSDMc1 180cst M2 FO180SGSWMc2 Visco M1 FOVISSGDFMc1 Visco M2 FOVISSGDFMc2 380cst M1 FO380SGSWMc1 380cst M1/M2 FO380SGSDMc1 380cst M2 FO380SGSWMc2 Cracks 180-Dubai M1 FO180SGCKMc1 Cracks 180-Dubai M2 FO180SGCKMc2 East-West M1 FOSGEWMc1 East-West M2 FOSGEWMc2 Barges M1 HFOFARAAMc1 Barges M1/M2 HFOFARAASMc1 Barges M2 HFOFARAAMc2 Crack Barges-Brent M1 HFOFARAACMc1 Crack Barges-Brent M2 HFOFARAACMc2