---

Fuel Oil Market (December 20)

The front crack opened at -8.60, weakening to -8.75, before strengthening to -8.50. The Cal 18 was valued at -8.00.

Cracks and time spreads of Asia's high-sulphur fuel oil slipped on Wednesday as expectations of ample nearterm supplies weighed on sentiment. The January 180 cSt fuel oil crack to Brent crude widened its discount to minus $5.68 a barrel on Wednesday, down from minus $5.37 a barrel in the previous session; its narrowest discount in two-weeks.

Total fuel oil flows into East Asia for December are expected to close at a 10-month high of about 7 million tonnes, above November's 6.2-6.3 million tonnes. This follows the delay of November Western arrivals into December, boosting Western inflows to above 4 million tonnes for the month and the second-highest volume of Middle East arrivals at just over 2 million tonnes.

Economic Data/Events: (UK times)

* 1:30pm: Philadelphia Dec. Fed business outlook, est. 21 (prior 22.7)

* 1:30pm: U.S. 3Q GDP annualized, est. 3.3% (prior 3.3%)

* 1:30pm: U.S. initial jobless claims for Dec. 16, est. 233k (prior 225k)

* 1:30pm: U.S. continuing claims for Dec. 9, est. 1898k (prior 1886k)

* 1:30pm: Chicago Nov. Fed Nat activity index, est. 0.50 (prior 0.65)

* 2:45pm: U.S. Bloomberg weekly consumer comfort index for Dec. 17, prior 51.3

* 2:45pm: U.S. Dec. Bloomberg national economy expectations diffusion index, prior 53

* 8pm: API monthly report

Singapore 380 cSt

Jan18 - 366.75 / 368.75

Feb18 - 366.25 / 368.25

Mar18 - 366.00 / 368.00

Apr18 - 365.50 / 367.50

May18 - 365.00 / 367.00

Jun18 - 364.00 / 366.00

Q1-18 - 366.50 / 368.50

Q2-18 - 364.75 / 366.75

Q3-18 - 360.75 / 363.25

Q4-18 - 356.25 / 358.75

CAL18 - 361.25 / 364.25

CAL19 - 328.00 / 333.00

Singapore 180 cSt

Jan18 - 370.75 / 372.75

Feb18 - 371.00 / 373.00

Mar18 - 371.00 / 373.00

Apr18 - 370.75 / 372.75

May18 - 370.25 / 372.25

Jun18 - 369.50 / 371.50

Q1-18 - 371.00 / 373.00

Q2-18 - 370.00 / 372.00

Q3-18 - 366.75 / 369.25

Q4-18 - 362.50 / 365.00

CAL18 - 366.75 / 369.75

CAL19 - 336.75 / 341.75

Rotterdam 380 cSt

Jan18 352.25 / 354.25

Feb18 352.00 / 354.00

Mar18 352.00 / 354.00

Apr18 351.50 / 353.50

May18 350.75 / 352.75

Jun18 349.75 / 351.75

Q1-18 352.25 / 354.25

Q2-18 350.75 / 352.75

Q3-18 345.50 / 348.00

Q4-18 336.50 / 339.00

CAL18 345.25 / 348.25

CAL19 304.25 / 309.25