Europe Gasoline-Prices fall on U.S. export doubts

LONDON, Feb 12 (Reuters) - European gasoline barge prices
fell on Friday after government data showed U.S. stocks of the
motor fuel rose by a more-than-expected 2.3 million barrels.
[EIA/S]

News of the rise in stocks dampened sentiment as it could
curb exports flows across the Atlantic. Gasoline demand from
west Africa and the Middle East remains strong, traders said.

Naphtha prices held steady as petrochemical buying interest
set the market floor.

PRICES

* Eurobob gasoline for export traded between $655-$662 a
tonne fob ARA on Friday, down from the previous close at
$667-$670.

* Premium gasoline did not trade in the public window.

* On a crack basis, prices rose to $7.73 a barrel from $7.35
at the previous close.

* ICE Brent crude futures for March fell $1.79 to $72.33 a
barrel by 1816 GMT.

* New York RBOB gasoline RBc1 futures were down nearly 2
percent at $1.8988 a gallon by the same time.

SWAPS

* Gasoline swaps were in a steep contango structure at the
front of the curve with the March/April spread at $36.

* The arbitrage swap for February was $2.30 a tonne and
$13.40 for March.

NAPHTHA

* Naphtha prices were discussed within the same broad range
as on Thursday between $655/$670 a tonne cif NWE.

* Petrochemical firm BASF bid for a cargo at $648 a tonne
cif NWE and Morgan Stanley bid up to $653 but nothing traded.

* Swaps dipped, pressured by falls in crude oil.

* The March swap fell to $640 cif NWE from around $655 the
previous day.

* The crack spread for March fell to between minus
$1.05/minus $85 cents.
(Reporting by Emma Farge; editing by Anthony Barker)