Russian Urals edged higher in the north and south on Tuesday as refinery margins improved after a dismal month, bringing out new buying interest, traders said. The Urals crack has averaged plus $1.07 a barrel in the last five days, versus an unusually low average of minus 61 cents a barrel in June, according to Reuters data. In the Platts window, Lukoil bid for a 100,000 tonne Urals cargo at dated Brent minus $2.80 cif Rotterdam loading July 15-19. In the south, Lukoil also bid for an 80,000 tonne Urals cargo at dated Brent minus $1.55 cif Augusta loading July 12-16. Traders pegged Algeria’s Saharan Blend at around dated Brent minus 70 cents a barrel on a fob basis as July loading cargoes were still available. Typically, August loaders would start to be offered by this point but low refining demand and an overhang of alternative west African grades have weighed on the market. Asian refiners are set to miss out on a traditional summer sales boost, as weak demand for oil products coupled with excess regional supply reduce plant operating rates through the third quarter and into the end of the year. Most affected will be export-focused plants in South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan, while plants in China and India may be somewhat insulated as they feed their large local markets. The Arab Light OSP to Northwest Europe fell $1.65 a barrel to the Brent weighted average (BWAVE) minus $4.35 a barrel for August.