Asia Fuel Oil-HSFO cash premium steady, window activity thin

NEW DELHI, March 25 (Reuters) - Asia's high sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) cash differentials were steady on Tuesday, but sentiment remained negative amid oversupply worries and physical trading remained tepid for a fourth straight session.

Singapore's 380-cst HSFO cash premium traded at $14.95 a metric ton. The very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) cash differential traded at a discount of 99 cents on Tuesday.

"... Large volume of current arrivals (of fuel oils into Middle East) will lead to a buildup of high sulphur stocks in the East of Suez markets, which, when combined with expectations of softer global international trade, will dampen the April/May inter-month structure," LSEG Research said in a note.

OTHER NEWS

- U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday issued an executive order declaring that any country buying oil or gas from Venezuela will pay a 25% tariff on trades with the U.S., while his administration extended a deadline for U.S. producer Chevron to wind down operations in the South American country.

- OPEC+ will likely stick to its plan to raise oil output for a second consecutive month in May, four sources told Reuters, amid steady oil prices and plans to force some members to reduce pumping to compensate for past overproduction.

WINDOW TRADES O/AS

- 180-cst HSFO: No trade

- 380-cst HSFO: No trade

- 0.5% VLSFO: No trade

ASSESSMENTS