HOUSTON, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Gasoline weakened in the LosAngeles spot market on lower demand on Tuesday, traders said.
March-delivery CARBOB gasoline slid 4 cents a gallon to a7-cent-a-gallon premium over April NYEX RBOB.
In the San Francisco Bay market, March CARBOB strengthened 2cents to finish at 3 cents a gallon under April NYMEX RBOB.
Some attributed the Bay market gain to the report of a fireMonday at an inactive unit at Tesoro Corp.'s 166,000barrel per day (bpd) Martinez, California, refinery. But,traders said Tuesday's trade happened before a regulatory filingrevealing the brief fist-sized blaze was released.
Traders said expectations of pending tighter supply inCalifornia due to the extended overhaul of a gasoline unit at BPPlc's 240,000 bpd L.A. refinery in Carson, California wasactually responsible for the gain.
Gasoline in the Portland market sold at 20.5 cents a gallonover NYMEX RBOB on expectations of tighter supply due to BP'sproblems and Tesoro's upcoming overhaul at the company's 120,000bpd Anacortes, Washington, refinery.
March L.A. CARB diesel rose 2.5 cents to finish at 16 centsa gallon over April NYMEX heating oil on expectations productionwould shift to favor gasoline output at area refineries. Baymarket March CARB diesel was steady at 12 cents a gallon overApril NYMEX heating oil.
Portland diesel was unchanged at 10.5 cents a gallon overApril NYMEX heating oil.
L.A. jet fuel rose 3.75 cents a gallon to 18.5 cents agallon over April NYMEX heating oil. (Reporting by Erwin Seba; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier)