China major fuel stocks up 3.0 pct in Jan-source

BEIJING, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Combined stocks of gasoline, diesel and kerosene held by China's top two oil companies rose by 3.0 percent in January from December as domestic sales dropped by 6.0 percent, an industry official with knowledge of the data told Reuters on Monday.

The rise in refined fuel inventories held by PetroChina and Sinopec was the third stock build after three consecutive months of decline.

'The stock rise is mainly because of some disruption of diesel-consuming users such as transportation firms due to the bad weather,' the industry source said.

Tha data is also likely skewed due to some end-of-the-year factors, he added.

Gasoline stocks dropped 4.0 percent while diesel rose 7.0 percent, the source said, without giving specific levels.

Gasoline sales jumped 8.0 percent in January while diesel sales dropped 11.0 percent, the source said.

The source declined to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

(Reporting by Eadie Chen and Chen Aizhu; Editing by Ken Wills)

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