Europe Gasoline/Naphtha-Cracks hold steady, exports support

LONDON, Dec 5 (Reuters) - Gasoline refining margins in northwest Europe were little changed on Monday supported by exports to the U.S. East Coast and West Africa.

* At least four cargoes have been booked in recent days to ship gasoline from northern Europe to the U.S. East Coast, West Africa and the Mediterranean, according to shipping data.

* A strong rally in U.S. gasoline prices last week on the back of new biodiesel blending requirements helped open the transatlantic arbitrage.

* Margins were expected to come under increased pressure in the coming weeks as gasoline demand ebbs and refineries return from maintenance.

* U.S. motorists logged 2.9 percent more miles in September versus last year, new federal data showed, continuing a record-setting pace amid low gasoline prices and lower unemployment.

* About 1.5 million tonnes of naphtha are on provisional booking for January arrival in Asia from the West including Europe and the Mediterranean. If these shipments materialise, this would be the highest monthly volume of Western naphtha arriving in Asia in over six months.

GASOLINE

* Gunvor sold to Total one barge of benchmark Eurobob gasoline at $511 a tonne fob ARA.

* Elsewhere during the day, 8,000 tonnes of gasoline traded at $513-$515.50 a tonne fob ARA, compared with $499.50-$516 a tonne on Friday.

* The January swap stood at $514 a tonne fob ARA at the close, up $1 from Friday.

* Gunvor sold to Total one barge of premium unleaded gasoline at $528 a tonne fob ARA, up from $523 a tonne.

* Gasoline barge refining margins were little changed at $7.79 a barrel.

* U.S. December RBOB gasoline futures were trading 0.33 percent lower at 1.5540 a gallon by 1753 GMT.

* The U.S. gasoline crack (RBC1-CLC1) traded at $13.33 a barrel, down from $14.20 a barrel.

NAPHTHA (NAF-C-NWE)

* No naphtha trades were reported.

(Reporting by Ron Bousso)