--DES Northeast Asia

　 Japanese companies, including Tohoku EPC, Kansai EPC and Japan Petroleum Exploration (JAPEX)--which have taken delivery of term contracts from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)--are expected to generate some spot demand. In particular, a Japanese public utility energy company speculates that Tohoku EPC may have procured a total of five to six cargoes on the spot market since April. However, "There are no players purchasing spot cargoes in quantities large enough to impact the market. The situation in the Middle East has a greater impact on prices," said a Japanese public utility energy company.

--FOB Middle East, DES South Asia and the Middle East

　 Bangladesh's state-owned Rupantarita Prakritik Gas (RPGCL) issued a buy tender for the first time in about one week. In the tender that closed on Thursday, the company intended to buy two cargoes for Aug 17-18 and Aug 24-25 delivery. In Bangladesh, a surge in LNG prices have hit the country's finances heavily and price hikes in electricity and gas bills would be inevitable. Under the circumstances, the company aims to boost renewable energy through providing tax incentives on solar generation in an attempt to reduce its energy dependence on the Middle East.

--FOB Atlantic, DES Europe and South America

　 On a floating basis, tradable levels for first-half September delivery retreated to a discount of around 25cts to the Dutch Title Transfer Facility (TTF) natural gas quotations for September. Loosening supply-demand fundamentals for prompt delivery served as a bearish factor. Surplus cargoes that could no longer be accepted in Egypt are arriving in Spain and France. The market for second-half September delivery apparently remained at discounts around 5cts deeper than first-half September delivery.