* Gulf gasoline lower on cycle change, stock build * Midwest differentials mostly weaker HOUSTON, Feb 12 (Reuters) - The New York Harbor cash ultra-low sulfur diesel(ULSD) differential to benchmark futures strengthened on Thursday on approachingcold weather and tight supply in the region, brokers said. U.S. distillate inventories fell 3.25 million barrels to 131.2 millionbarrels last week, driven by a 2.4 million-barrel draw in East Coast stocks, theEnergy Information Administration said in a report on Wednesday. ULSD strengthened 1.75 cents to trade on Thursday at 3.00 cents a gallonover March heating oil for cycles 6 and 7 on the Colonial pipeline. ULSD is the product deliverable against the heating oil futures contracttraded on the New York Mercantile Exchange. March futures on Thursday rallied9.96 cents to settle at $1.9137 a gallon as crude futures also surged. Jet fuel also gained, trading up a penny at 6.00 cents under March futures. F5 RBOB strengthened, with offers at 3.00 cents under March RBOB gasoline. The differential was pegged late at 3.75 cents under on Wednesday, aftertrading earlier as strong as 3.25 cents under, brokers said. News of a process upset and fire at PBF Energy Inc's Delawarerefinery on Wednesday helped boost RBOB in the New York Harbor. U.S. Gulf Coast gasoline differentials fell sharply on Thursday in lightactivity as prompt trade began on a new five-day lifting cycle , traders said. A4 CBOB, or conventional regular gasoline blendstock formulated for blendingwith 10 percent ethanol, and conventional M4 gasoline each traded at 1.50-centand 2.00-cent discounts to March RBOB futures, both 4.25 cents per gallon lowerthan their previous cycles' finish at a 2.25-cent premium to futures, traderssaid. "Very thin," a Gulf trader said of Thursday's activity for both grades. The previous cycle of both grades gained on Wednesday on news that agasoline-making fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCCU) had shut at Royal DutchShell's joint-venture 327,000-barrel-per-day (bpd) refinery in DeerPark, Texas, as well as pipeline scheduling. On Thursday energy intelligence firm Genscape reported that a shut FCCU atMarathon Petroleum Corp's 530,000-bpd Garyville, Louisiana, refinery waspreparing for restart after an unplanned shutdown. Also, U.S. government data also showed a 1.2 million-barrel build inregional gasoline stocks last week to 79.5 million barrels, or 94 percent of the25-year high. After strengthening early this week when a strike by refinery workersexpanded to two refineries in the region, most Midwest differentials weakened. Chicago CBOB gasoline for cycle-2 February barrels slipped three cents to0.50 cent over March RBOB gasoline, while ULSD was steady at 8.00 cents underMarch heating oil futures. Group Three gasoline weakened 1.25 cents to 2.00 cents under March RBOB andULSD dipped 0.75 cent to 4.50 cents under March heating oil futures. Renewable Identification Number (RIN) credits were steady to lower, tradersand brokers said. Ethanol RINs for 2015 compliance year traded at 69.5 and 70 cents each,after trading from 70 to 72 cents on Wednesday. Credits for 2014 traded had bidsfrom buyers at 70 cents and sellers asking 71 cents after trades on Wednesdaywere seen at 70.75 cents. For more refinery news, please go to Latest day Timing NYMEX Bid Offer Change Contract U.S. GULF COAST <0#P-USG> * Scheduling A4 CBOB gasoline Cycle 11 RBOB -2.25 -1.75 -4.25 M4 conventional gasoline Cycle 11 RBOB -2.25 -1.75 -4.25 62-grade ULSD Cycle 10 HO -7.50 -7.00 -1.25 54-grade jet fuel Cycle 10 HO -11.50 -10.50 1.00 Heating oil Cycle 10 HO -23.25 -22.75 -0.50 NEW YORK HARBOR <0#P-NYH> M4 conventional gasoline Prompt RBOB -0.50 0.00 0.25 Any-Month RBOB 0.00 0.50 0.00 F5 RBOB Prompt RBOB -3.50 -3.00 0.50 Any-Month RBOB -3.00 -2.75 -0.25 ULSD Prompt HO 2.75 3.25 1.75 Any-Month HO 2.75 3.25 1.50 Heating oil Prompt HO -6.50 -6.00 0.00 Any-Month HO -6.50 -6.00 0.00 Jet fuel Prompt HO -6.25 -5.75 1.00 Any-Month HO -6.50 -6.00 0.75 MIDWEST <0#P-G3> <0#P-MC> Chicago CBOB gasoline Cycle 2 RBOB 0.25 0.75 -3.00 Chicago ULSD Cycle 2 HO -8.25 -7.75 0.00 Group Three gasoline RBOB -2.25 -1.75 -1.25 Group Three ULSD HO -4.75 -4.25 -0.75 (Reporting by Kristen Hays in Houston and Robert Gibbons in New York; Editingby James Dalgleish)
Shell announces $4bn share buyback as Q3 profits beat expectations
(Sharecast News) - Oil giant Shell announced a $4bn share buyback on Thursday as it posted better-than-expected third-quarter profits.
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