West Texas Sour also gained on Monday, strengthening 45 cents at a midpoint of a parity to futures.
The sour grades firmed despite a narrower discount of U.S.
crude futures to the international benchmark Brent . The Brent/WTI spread narrowed to around minus
$3.89 a barrel. A narrower spread makes U.S.-linked grades less
attractive to foreign buyers.
The voluntary output cuts by the Organization of the
Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, a group
known as OPEC+, at the beginning of May is expected to help
export demand for U.S. sour crude to Asia, analysts at Energy
Aspects said.
* Light Louisiana Sweet for June delivery gained 5
cents at a midpoint of a $2.25 premium and was seen bid and
offered between a $2.15 and $2.35 a barrel premium to U.S. crude
futures
* Mars Sour gained 50 cents at a midpoint of a
parity and was seen bid and offered between a discount of 10
cents?? and 10-cent a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures ?
* WTI Midland fell 10 cents to a midpoint of a
75-cent premium and was seen bid and offered between a 65-cent
and 85-cent a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures ?
* West Texas Sour gained 45 cents at a midpoint of a
parity and was seen bid and offered between a discount of 10
cents?? and 10-cent a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures ?
* WTI at East Houston , also known as MEH, traded
between an 85-cent and $1.05 a barrel premium to U.S. crude
futures ?
* ICE Brent July futures rose $1.71 to settle at
$77.01 a barrel on Monday?.
* WTI June crude futures rose $1.82 to settle at $73.16
a barrel on Monday?.
* The Brent/WTI spread narrowed to around minus
$3.89, after hitting a high of minus $3.85 and a low of minus
$4.04.
(Reporting by Stephanie Kelly; Editing by Richard Chang)
