Fuel oil swaps were also lower, with the prompt viscosity and timespreads coming off their two-year peaks, Reuters data showed.

The naphtha market softened as well as sentiment remained weak on the prospect of cracker maintenance in the second quarter impacting demand.

Asian fixed-price oil swaps were lower to steady across their 12-month forward curves, as benchmark Brent crude slipped a slight 13 cents from the previous Asian 0830 GMT close to $101.46 a barrel.

For a full list of swaps trades:

MIDDLE DISTILLATES CRACKS EASE OFF PEAKS

Both gas oil's and jet fuel's March cracks lost 61 cents each to a premium of $18.18 and $19.83 a barrel over Dubai crude respectively.

Asian distillate inventories surged to 10-week high levels last week, on higher supplies resulting from steady to higher crude runs in the region.

Singapore onshore diesel and jet fuel stocks jumped 16 percent to 15.8 million barrels for the week ended Feb.9, government data showed.

ARA weekly distillates stocks rose as well for the week ended Feb. 10, with the rise partly attributed to blocked waterways in the Rhine, due to ongoing rescue operations of a capsized chemical tanker.

The February and March gas oil fixed-price swaps were valued at $115.50 and $115.88 a barrel, respectively, down 30-34 cents, or around 0.3 percent.

FUEL OIL TIMESPREADS LOWER

Fuel oil oil's prompt February/March timespread, which expires next Monday, eased from its two-year high to $12.00, down 50 cents, while March/April narrowed 13 cents to $6.50 a tonne, with trades seen at the same level by 0430 GMT.

The February viscosity spread was also lower, falling to$16.50 a tonne, down $1.25.

Tightening supplies, stemming from an imbalance between high-viscosity raw cargoes and low-viscosity cutters, had underpinned the speculative buying that drove the viscosity and timespreads to multi-year highs in recent weeks, traders said.

The March crack slipped 56 cents to a discount of $8.47 a barrel to Dubai crude by 0430 GMT.

The February and March 180-cst fixed-price swaps were valued at $592.00 and $580.00 a tonne, respectively, down $1.88-$2.38, or 1.2-1.3 percent.

NAPHTHA MARKET SOFTENS

Naphtha CFR Japan front-month crack was valued at a discount of $4.40 a barrel to Brent crude, down 49 cents.

However, the February/March timespread rose 50 cents to a backwardation of $1.00 a tonne, while March/April dipped 38 cents to a contango of $1.50.

February/March was bid at minus $1.00 a tonne, while bids/offers for March/April stood at minus $2.25/minus $1.00 in early trade.

Market sentiment had been weak as upcoming cracker maintenance in the second half of March is expected to put a dent in overall spot demand from North Asia, traders said.

The CFR Japan February swap lost $2.75, or 0.3 percent, to $874.50 a tonne, while the FOB Singapore February contract steadied at $95.60 a barrel, down 0.04 cents or 0.04 percent.