Asia Fuel Oil – Pricing Analyst Update (14–18 Sept)
- Cash differentials for Asia 380cst HSFO averaged around $52.70/mt over September 14–18, surging from the prior week’s premium of around $29.60/mt. Similarly, the Asia 180cst HSFO cash differentials averaged around $51.25/mt over the same period, up sharply from a premium of $25/mt the prior week.
- Asia 380cst HSFO outright prices averaged around $707.25/mt over September 14–18, up from the prior week’s average of $611/mt, and the Asia 180cst HSFO outright prices averaged around $711/mt over the same period, also up from the prior week’s average of $615/mt.
- Cash differentials for Asia LSFO averaged around $42.35/mt over September 14–18, moving up from the prior week’s average of $31.40/mt. Outright prices averaged around $847.25/mt over the same period, surging by approximately $70.25/mt from the prior week.
- The 380cst and 500cst ex-wharf prices averaged around $752.65/mt and $749.65/mt respectively over September 14–18, up from the prior week’s averages of $664/mt and $641/mt.
- Although prices were reacting to the situation in the Middle East, supply for fuel oil was tight but not yet at imminent-shortage levels, according to market sources.
- The across-the-board jump reflected a sharp supply shock rather than routine tightness: drone strikes on Saudi Arabia’s East-West Petroline pipeline forced barrels back through the Strait of Hormuz just as regional refiners’ feedstock-crude access came under pressure.
- Fresh Houthi attacks on a Saudi airbase added to the strain on Hormuz traffic, and AG VLCC freight rates roughly tripled since June as owners still willing to transit the strait commanded fear premiums near $80/mt.
About the Author
Alex Theo | Head of Pricing Analysts, Sparta Commodities
Alex Theo is a commodity price reporter and pricing analyst with over a decade of experience covering oil markets across the Asia-Pacific region. His expertise spans the full oil barrel – heavy distillates, middle distillates, and light distillates – as well as iron ore markets across APAC. Alex now leads the pricing analyst team at Sparta, working alongside Commodity Owners to deliver independent, unbrokered commodity price assessments across key benchmarks.
Connect: LinkedIn
About Sparta
Sparta is the AI leader for commodity trading, home to Leonidas AI, the first decision-making engine for oil and commodity traders. Backed by USD 42 million in Series B funding led by One Peak, with participation from returning investors FirstMark and Singular, the same investors behind AI leaders like Legora, Dataiku, and Synthesia. From independents to multinationals, the world’s leading commodity teams use Sparta and Leonidas AI to move faster, trade smarter, and stay ahead of the market.
For more information, visit Sparta or follow us on LinkedIn.
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