SINGAPORE, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Asia"s cash premiums for 380-cst high-sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) slipped for a fourth consecutive session on Thursday, while residual fuel inventories in Singapore climbed to a four-week high. The cash premiums for 380-cst HSFO were at $1.23 per tonne to Singapore quotes, the lowest since Dec. 14. They were at $1.29 per tonne a day earlier. The 380-cst HSFO barge crack for January traded at a discount of $11.04 a barrel to Brent on Thursday, compared with minus $11.05 a barrel on Wednesday. The crack, however, has gained nearly 20% in the last month, Refinitiv data showed. Meanwhile, the front-month VLSFO crack surged to $15.64 per barrel against Dubai crude during Asian trading hours, up from $14.99 in the previous session. Cash differential for Asia"s 0.5% VLSFO was at a premium of $18.91 a tonne to Singapore quotes on Thursday, compared with $19.10 per tonne on Wednesday. GLOBAL OIL DEMAND - Global oil demand roared back in 2021 as the world began to recover from the coronavirus pandemic, and overall world consumption potentially could hit a new record in 2022 - despite efforts to bring down fossil fuel consumption to mitigate climate change. read more - Gasoline and diesel use surged this year as consumers resumed travel and business activity picked up. For 2022, crude consumption is expected to reach 99.53 million barrels per day (bpd), up from 96.2 million bpd this year, according to the International Energy Agency. That would be a hair short of 2019"s daily consumption of 99.55 million barrels. INVENTORIES - Singapore"s onshore fuel oil stocks rose by 6,000 barrels to 20.9 million barrels, or 3.1 million tonnes, in the week to Dec. 22, according to the Enterprise Singapore data. - Weekly fuel oil inventories have averaged 22.5 million barrels so far this year, having averaged 23.8 million barrels a week last year, Reuters calculations showed. Onshore fuel oil inventories were 2.7% higher, compared with year-ago levels. WINDOW TRADES - One 380-cst HSFO trade, two VLSFO deals OTHER NEWS - Asia"s jet fuel refining margins are on track to double by end-2021 from the previous year, but traders and analysts say a recovery in aviation demand to pre-pandemic levels could still be years away. read more - Oil prices shrugged off early gains on Thursday as countries imposed new travel curbs to combat surging cases, though the downside remained capped over positive developments around COVID-19. ASSESSMENTS FUEL OIL CASH ($/T) ASIA CLOSE Change % Change Prev Close RIC Cargo - 180cst 426.00 8.91 2.14 417.09 Diff - 180cst -1.25 -0.12 10.62 -1.13 Cargo - 380cst 419.48 9.24 2.25 410.24 Diff - 380cst 1.23 -0.06 -4.65 1.29 Bunker (Ex-wharf)- 380cst 423.00 10.00 2.42 413.00 Bunker (Ex-wharf) Premium 3.52 0.76 27.54 2.76 For a list of derivatives prices, including margins, please double click the RICs below. Brent M1 180cst M1 180cst M1/M2 180cst M2 Visco M1 Visco M2 380cst M1 380cst M1/M2 380cst M2 Cracks 180-Dubai M1 Cracks 180-Dubai M2 East-West M1 East-West M2 Barges M1 Barges M1/M2 Barges M2 Crack Barges-Brent M1 Crack Barges-Brent M2