US Cash Crude-Grades mixed as oil rig count rises, Trump tariffs weigh

April 4 (Reuters) - U.S. cash crude grades pulled in different directions on Friday, dealers said, as investors weighed an expected future rise in U.S. oil output, and trade tariffs.

U.S. energy firms this week cut the number of oil and natural gas rigs operating for a second week in a row, even as the number of oil rigs rose to the highest since June, energy services firm Baker Hughes BKR.O said in its closely followed report on Friday.

Oil rigs rose by five to 489 this week, their highest since June, according to the report.

Trump on Wednesday unveiled a 10% minimum tariff on most goods imported to the United States, the world's biggest oil consumer, with much higher duties on products from dozens of countries.

Though the White House said imports of oil, gas and refined products were exempted from the new tariffs, crude oil futures still plummeted more than 7% on Friday to a three-year low. O/R

Light Louisiana Sweet WTC-LLS for May delivery gained 15 cents to a midpoint of a $2.35 premium and was seen bid and offered between a $2.25 and $2.45 a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1

Mars Sour WTC-MRS fell 5 cents to a midpoint of a 50-cent premium and was seen bid and offered between a 40-cent and 60-cent a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1

WTI Midland WTC-WTM was steady at a midpoint of a $1.05 premium and was seen bid and offered between a 95-cent and $1.15 a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1

West Texas Sour WTC-WTS fell 22 cents to a midpoint of a 23-cent premium and was seen bid and offered between a 5-cent and 40-cent a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1

WTI at East Houston WTC-MEH, also known as MEH, traded between a $1.35 and $1.55 a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1

ICE Brent June futures LCOc1 fell $4.56 to settle at $65.58 a barrel

WTI May crude CLc1 futures fell $4.96 to settle at $61.99 a barrel

The Brent/WTI spread WTCLc1-LCOc1 widened 27 cents to last trade at minus $3.94, after hitting a high of minus $3.60 and a low of minus $3.96