Asia's naphtha crack ended the week at a two-session high of $39.35 a tonne as a string of demand gave some support to the market this week. Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea in total had bought at least 180,000 tonnes of naphtha for second-half March delivery over a period of less than 3 days.
Formosa, also Asia's top naphtha importer, bought some 100,000 tonnes after skipping purchases of the open-specification grade fuel for first-half March delivery.
Malaysia's Titan paid a low single digit premium a tonne to Japan quotes on a cost-and-freight (C&F) this week while Singapore's PCS and South Korea's KPIC and Hanwha Total had also scooped up naphtha.
India's Nayara Energy has offered up to 35,000 tonnes of naphtha for March 16-20 loading from Vadinar through a tender closing on February 18.
The refiner had previously sold up to 35,000 tonnes of the fuel for early March loading to BP at a premium of about $18.50 a tonne to Middle East quotes on a free-on-board (FOB) basis.
Asia's gasoline crack discounts narrowed to 42 cents a barrel versus 79 cents in the previous session. Stocks drawdown in Europe could have provided some relief to sellers.