NEW DELHI, May 14 (Reuters) - Asia's gasoline refining margin and prices rose on Thursday after a larger-than-expected decline in U.S. inventories ahead of the driving season.

The crack rose to about $27 per barrel over Brent crude, compared with around $25 a day earlier. Price for the higher 95-octane grade of gasoline climbed to $139.30 per barrel, market participants said.

U.S. gasoline stocks USOILG=ECI fell by 4.1 million barrels in the week to 215.7 million barrels, government data showed, compared with analysts' expectations in a Reuters poll for a 2.9-million-barrel draw.

Singapore light distillate inventories registered a small rise of 53,000 barrels at 14.92 million barrels in the week to May 13, Enterprise Singapore data showed. O/SING1​

NEWS

- Trump administration officials are scrambling to contain the economic and political fallout of the war with Iran, three people familiar with the White House's discussions told Reuters, as hopes for a quick resolution fade.

- Oil prices were broadly stable on Thursday after a Chinese readout from a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed cooperation and stability. O/R

SINGAPORE CASH DEALS O/AS

One gasoline deal.

PRICES

CASH	ASIA CLOSE	Change	Prev Close	RIC
OSN Naphtha CFR Japan M1 ($/mt)	1065.25	-0.25	1065.50	NAF-1H-TYO
OSN Naphtha CFR Japan M2 ($/mt)	1005.25	-0.25	1005.50	NAF-2H-TYO
OSN Naphtha Diff ($/mt)	60.00	0.00	60.00	NAF-TYO-DIF
Naphtha Netback FOB Sing ($/bbl)	116.36	-0.03	116.39	NAF-SIN
Naphtha-Brent Crack ($/mt)	266.88	3.50	263.38	NAF-SIN-CRK
Gasoline 97 ($/bbl)	140.91	1.51	139.40	GL97-SIN
Gasoline 95 ($/bbl)	139.30	1.51	137.79	GL95-SIN
Gasoline 92 ($/bbl)	133.61	1.51	132.10	GL92-SIN
Gasoline crack ($/bbl)	27.16	2.01	25.15	GL92-SIN-CRK
For a list of derivatives prices, including margins, please double click the RICs below.
Brent M1	BRENTSGMc1
Naphtha CFR Japan M1	NACFRJPSWMc1
Naphtha CFR Japan M1/M2	NACFRJPSDMc1
Naphtha CFR Japan M2	NACFRJPSWMc2
Naphtha Japan-Sing Netback M1	NAPTC4SPDMc1
Naphtha Japan-Sing Netback M2	NAPTC4SPDMc2
Naphtha FOB Sing M1	NAFOBSGSWMc1
Naphtha FOB Sing M1/M2	NAFOBSGSDMc1
Naphtha FOB Sing M2	NAFOBSGSWMc2
Naphtha Cracks M1	NACFRJPCKMc1
East-West Naphtha M1	NAPJPEWMc1
East-West Naphtha M2	NAPJPEWMc2
NEW Naphtha M1	NAPCNWEAMc1
NEW Naphtha M1/M2	NAPCNWEASMc1
NEW Naphtha M2	NAPCNWEAMc2
Crack NEW Naphtha-Brent M1	NAPCNWEACMc1
Crack NEW Naphtha-Brent M2	NAPCNWEACMc2
*Sing refers to Singapore