Chinese buying picks up, diffs slip

Chinese buying ramped up as cargoes for July loading from some West African exporters started to dwindle.

* Slower buying earlier in the trading session has encouraged later Chinese buying and offer levels remain low and have ebbed slightly in recent days, traders said.

* No more than seven cargoes of Angolan crude were still unsold by Friday, while only one cargo of Congolese Djeno had yet to find a buyer.

* Despite swift sales of heavy sweet crude, Chadian Doba crude was being offered for as low as dated Brent minus $1.50 a barrel.

* Nigerian crude differentials have found support from demand in Europe, and offer levels looked to be unchanged on Thursday with Qua Iboe offered at dated Brent plus $2.70.