The euro weakened against both the yuan and the dollar, lightening European refiners' dollar crude bill; firmer Asian currencies retook the price edge.

Both benchmarks slipped and the spread pulled back to $8.97; a firmer yuan drove Brent's RMB landed cost to about ¥731/bbl, reopening the short-haul light-sweet feedstock window.

USD/CNY fell to 6.6702 and USD/JPY to 156.41; a stronger yuan and yen directly cut transshipment delivered cost in local currency while Korea held flat.