Industry Investment Ratings - Crude oil: ★☆☆ [1] - Fuel oil: ☆☆☆ [1] - Low-sulfur fuel oil: ★☆☆ [1] - Asphalt: ★☆☆ [1] - Liquefied petroleum gas: ☆☆☆ [1] Core Views - The short-term view on oil prices is oscillating and bullish, and investors can still focus on the hedging value of out-of-the-money call options on crude oil [2] - The crack spreads of FU and LU are both weak due to the soft fundamentals of the high- and low-sulfur fuel oil markets and the short-term macro and geopolitical support in the crude oil market [2] - The unilateral trend of asphalt follows the direction of crude oil, but the fluctuation range is relatively limited, and the low inventory still provides some support for the price [3] - The LPG market is under pressure overall, with the price running at a low level due to the downward pressure on the overseas market and the increased pressure on the delivery discount of the futures [4] Summary by Category Crude Oil - Overnight international oil prices declined, with the Brent 09 contract falling 1.25%. The trade war suppressed market sentiment, but there were still supporting factors for sanctioned oil [2] - Trump advanced the deadline for sanctions against Russia to August 8. Last week, Indian state-owned refineries suspended purchases of Russian oil, and the US issued a new round of sanctions against Iran [2] Fuel Oil & Low-Sulfur Fuel Oil - The oscillating and bullish pattern of crude oil remains unchanged, but the futures of the fuel oil series have weakened. The LU2509 contract is temporarily supported at around 3,643 yuan/ton, and the FU and LU cracks continue to decline [2] - The arrival volume in the Singapore market increased significantly in July, and the demand for ship bunkering lacked support after the peak season. The ship bunkering volume in Fujairah has been weakening month-on-month since June [2] Asphalt - Asphalt performed strongly among oil product futures today. The domestic production volume in August decreased month-on-month compared to July, and the demand recovery was delayed in the South due to typhoon and rainfall [3] - The shipments of 54 sample refineries remained flat month-on-month, and the cumulative year-on-year increase since July was stable. The commercial inventory of asphalt has been slow to decline [3] Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) - The Middle East CP was significantly reduced, increasing the pressure of oversupply on the overseas market. The chemical profit margin improved after the import cost decreased, and there is still room for an increase in the PDH operating rate [4] - The supply was relatively loose with the overall increase in the arrival volume in July, and the domestic market was under pressure. The strengthening of crude oil recently increased the pressure on the delivery discount of the futures [4]