Last checked at LONDON, July 3 (Reuters) - Gasoline prices tracked crude oilhigher on Wednesday, with refining margins widenening slightly aday ahead of the U.S. Independence Day holiday when demandtypically peaks. "We are getting ready for July 4th," said a trader,referring to the holiday. "Strong markets." U.S. gasoline futures were more than 2 percent higher onWednesday afternoon, outpacing gains in crude oil markets. Naphtha prices also rose with crude oil, but lagged behinddespite the gains in gasoline, which caused naphtha crackspreads to weaken slightly during the session. "It seems the previous strength was because of Asia," said atrader, referring to gains in the market earlier this week. In Asia, naphtha markets rose for a second session to hit atwo-week high. GASOLINE * No Eurobob gasoline barges traded in the Platts window fora ninth session. * Some 12,000 tonnes traded on the Argus platform at anaverage $965.83 a tonne fob ARA, above Tuesday's $941-$949 atonne fob ARA range. * Three barges of premium unleaded gasoline traded at $984 atonne fob ARA, up from $961 a tonne fob ARA on Tuesday. * By 1712 GMT, Eurobob's crack to dated Brent was ataround $8.64 a barrel, little changed from the previousafternoon. * ICE Brent crude futures were up $1.57 cents at$105.57 a barrel. * U.S. RBOB gasoline futures for July were up 2.07percent at $2.8410 a gallon and while the RBOB crack was closeto $1 wider at $18.34 a barrel. NAPHTHA * There were no trades in Wednesday's window. There wereoffers from Shell, Total, Glencore and Trafigura in at $860-$869a tonne cif NWE range. Shell also bid for July cargoes at$855-$857 a tonne cif NWE. * The bid/offer spread was higher than the previous day'strades done at $849 and $850 a tonne cif NWE. * The July naphtha crack swap was trading at around minus9.22 a barrel late on Wednesday, down from minus $8.21 theprevious afternoon, according to Reuters calculations.
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