Europe Gasoline/Naphtha-Gasoline margins fall on slow trading

LONDON, May 19 (Reuters) - Northwest European gasoline profit margins fell on Monday by over a dollar to $13.31 a barrel on slower trading activity and higher oil prices.

• A total of 5,000 metric tons of Eurobob E5 barges traded in the Argus window on Monday, with Trafigura selling barges to Shell and TotalEnergies.

• A total of 9,000 tons of Eurobob E10 barges traded, with TotalEnergies and Gunvor selling to Varo.

• Malaysia's Pengerang Refining Company (Prefchem) restarted one of its two residue fluid catalytic cracking (RFCC) units in the past week after shutting it for repairs early this year, four sources familiar with the matter said. However, run rates at the 70,000-barrel-per-day unit, which mainly produces gasoline, have yet to return to full levels.

• Meanwhile, the Russian government said it was in favour of extending its partial gasoline export ban, which is in force until the end of August, to September and October, Interfax news agency reported on Monday, citing Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak.

• Total gasoline exports from Europe for the first half of the month are estimated to be 1.82 million tons, and are expected to be higher than April's, data from LSEG showed.