US Cash Crude - Grades little changed, spreads narrow

NEW YORK, May 7 (Reuters) - U.S. cash crude grades were
little changed against U.S. crude futures Thursday, as time
spreads narrowed and U.S. crude increased its premium to
Brent.

Light Louisiana Sweet LLS- was exchanged for $1.45 above
West Texas Intermediate CLc1, up 5 cents from a trade on
Wednesday. Mars sour MRS- dealt unchanged at $2.25 a barrel
below WTI, and another sour crude, Poseidon PSD-, weakened 5
cents a barrel to deal for -$2.30.

On futures markets, June WTI CLM9 settled up 37 cents to
$56.71 a barrel, near a six-month high. U.S. crude futures have
risen by more than 10 percent in two weeks, lifted by evidence
the economic recession has hit bottom.

June Brent LCo1 rose 32 cents a barrel to $56.47, leaving
U.S. front-month futures at a 24 cent a barrel premium to
Brent. A widening premium for U.S. crude could begin to attract
arbitrage imports of foreign grades into the U.S.

The June-July WTI spread CL-1=R narrowed to -$1.21 a
barrel after market, from as much as -$1.69 earlier in the day.
Stronger front-month WTI versus later months tends to weaken
cash grades.

Bonito sour BS- dealt unchanged at 50 cents below WTI.
West Texas Intermediate for delivery at Midland WTM- dealt
for 25 cents under WTI, down 10 cents.

On the West Coast, Alaska North Slope crude ANS- for June
delivery last sold in a publicly disclosed trade for $1.75
under WTI on Friday, 25 cents weaker than the previous publicly
disclosed trade at -$1.50 on April 24.

Buyers raised California posted prices for crude by 50
cents a barrel.
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DATA LINKS:
Energy Speed Guide ENERGY Crude Speed Guide <CRUDES/1>
NYMEX WTI futures <0#CL:> ICE Brent futures <0#LCO:>
US crude prices PPGR US crude differentials BRNV
Freight rates <0#FRT->
NEWS LINKS:
NYMEX Market reports [O/N] ICE market reports [O/L]
US Cash crude deals [CRU/TU] Foreign crude deals [CRU/T]
Dirty tanker news [TAN/CRU] Dirty tanker fixtures [TAN/D]
Weekly US oil data [EIA/S] US crude outlook [US/CRU]
US Refinery outages [REF/US] US Cash oil products [PRO/U]
US products outlook [US/PRO]
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(Reporting by Joshua Schneyer; Editing by David Gregorio)