Global Editor, Base Oil News

Iain Pocock

Global Editor

Global Base Oils and Lubricants Markets

Base Oil News

Base Oil News focuses on the interplay between fundamentals and prices in the global base oils and lubricants markets.

Baseoilnews.com combines daily, weekly and monthly base oils and lubes fundamentals data from every region of the world to build the most comprehensive and up-to-date global picture of the state of the market.

The data and analysis provide key tools to understand current market developments and opportunities and to anticipate how the market is likely to behave in the coming months.

Base oils producers, lube blenders and consumers can then better plan accordingly.

Baseoilnews.com analyses and publishes market news and data every day as it breaks.

Commodities

<ul><li>Global base oils prices mostly hold firm vs feedstock/competing fuel prices, especially in Europe and Asia.</li><li>Firm price differentials point to strong supply-demand fundamentals, incentivize refiners to supply more volumes for those markets.</li><li>Demand would need to hold firm to absorb any such pick-up in supplies.</li></ul>

Global base oils prices mostly hold firm vs feedstock/competing fuel prices, especially in Europe and Asia.Firm price differentials point to strong supply-demand fundamentals, incentivize refiners to supply more volumes for those markets.Demand would need to hold firm to absorb any such pick-up in supplies.

Global base oils margins outlook: Week of 2 June

<ul><li>US domestic Group I SN 500 price rises to premium to Group II N600 price in May 2025 for first time in more than four years.</li><li>In Middle East, CFR UAE Group I SN 500 price discount to Group II N500 shrinks to narrowest in more than seven months.</li><li>In Asia, FOB Asia Group I SN 500 price strengthens vs Group II N500 in May 2025 to firmest level in six months.</li></ul>

US domestic Group I SN 500 price rises to premium to Group II N600 price in May 2025 for first time in more than four years.In Middle East, CFR UAE Group I SN 500 price discount to Group II N500 shrinks to narrowest in more than seven months.In Asia, FOB Asia Group I SN 500 price strengthens vs Group II N500 in May 2025 to firmest level in six months.

Global base oils arb outlook: Week of 2 June

<ul><li>Asia’s heavy-grade base oils price-premium to Singapore gasoil stays unusually high.</li><li>Firm base oils premium suggests supply remains tight and demand firm, incentivizing refiners to raise output.</li><li>Gap between Group II light and heavy-grade base oils prices widens more even after restart of growing number of base oils units following scheduled maintenance work.</li></ul>

Asia’s heavy-grade base oils price-premium to Singapore gasoil stays unusually high.Firm base oils premium suggests supply remains tight and demand firm, incentivizing refiners to raise output.Gap between Group II light and heavy-grade base oils prices widens more even after restart of growing number of base oils units following scheduled maintenance work.

Asia base oils supply outlook: Week of 2 June

<ul><li>Asia’s base oils demand could soften as weakening supply-demand fundamentals incentivize buyers to maintain lower stocks.</li><li>Seasonal slowdown in lube consumption set to coincide with pick-up in supply following restart of growing number of plants after maintenance work.</li><li>Weaker demand in markets like Japan frees up more surplus volumes for export, adding to supply.</li></ul>

Asia’s base oils demand could soften as weakening supply-demand fundamentals incentivize buyers to maintain lower stocks.Seasonal slowdown in lube consumption set to coincide with pick-up in supply following restart of growing number of plants after maintenance work.Weaker demand in markets like Japan frees up more surplus volumes for export, adding to supply.

Asia base oils demand outlook: Week of 2 June

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>AH spreads are slightly narrower, but performance is concentrated in fewer names and broad spread volatility is up. BYD (1211 HK) back down nearly 3%. CATL 10% through still.</li>
<li>Sharp skew on H-vs-A performance this week. Those trading AH Premium &lt;20% saw H underperform sharply. Those in the 40-100% AH Premium range saw H outperform. Quiddity Portfolio alpha strong.</li>
<li>The data tables below update on a daily basis in the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/tools" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tools</a> section of Smartkarma. The <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/tools/quiddity/south-flow-monitor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SOUTHBOUND Flow Monitor</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/tools/quiddity/ah-shares-monitor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AH Monitor</a> are both there free for SK readers.</li>
</ul>


AH spreads are slightly narrower, but performance is concentrated in fewer names and broad spread volatility is up. BYD (1211 HK) back down nearly 3%. CATL 10% through still.
Sharp skew on H-vs-A performance this week. Those trading AH Premium &lt;20% saw H underperform sharply. Those in the 40-100% AH Premium range saw H outperform. Quiddity Portfolio alpha strong.
The data tables below update on a daily basis in the Tools section of Smartkarma. The SOUTHBOUND Flow Monitor and AH Monitor are both there free for SK readers.


A/H Premium Tracker (To 30 May 2025):  Narrow Premia Hs Worst Performers, BYD Relents

China

Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Company Limited processes crude oil into a broad range of synthetic fibers, resins and plastics, intermediate petrochemical products and petroleum products.

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Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical (338 HK)

Global base oils margins outlook: Week of 2 June

Global base oils prices mostly hold firm vs feedstock/competing fuel prices, especially in Europe and Asia. Firm price differentials point to...

Base Oil News

Global base oils arb outlook: Week of 2 June

US domestic Group I SN 500 price rises to premium to Group II N600 price in May 2025 for first time in more than four years. In Middle East, CFR...

Base Oil News

Asia base oils supply outlook: Week of 2 June

Asia’s heavy-grade base oils price-premium to Singapore gasoil stays unusually high. Firm base oils premium suggests supply remains tight and...

Base Oil News

Asia base oils demand outlook: Week of 2 June

Asia’s base oils demand could soften as weakening supply-demand fundamentals incentivize buyers to maintain lower stocks. Seasonal slowdown in...

Base Oil News

A/H Premium Tracker (To 30 May 2025): Narrow Premia Hs Worst Performers, BYD Relents

AH Premia contracted but it was mostly in the 40-100% area where they did. Tighter than 40% (or H premium) saw Hs underperform. Quiddity alpha...

Travis Lundy

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