US Cash Crude-Grades steady even as US crude stocks fall

June 12 (Reuters) - WTI Midland differentials to crude oil at the Cushing storage hub weakened on Thursday, dealers said, as tight inventories and worries about geopolitical tensions have strengthened prices at the hub.

WTI Midland WTC-WTM eased to a 45 cent-premium to oil at Cushing, while WTI at East Houston WTC-MEH, also known as MEH, fell to 55 cents.

Wildfires in Canada could tighten inventories at Cushing, analysts have said.

The spread between WTI and Brent narrows least since Sept 2023. A narrower spread cuts exports as it is less attractive for foreign buyers to purchase U.S. crude.

Meanwhile, medium Sour grades such as Mars and SGC strengthened due to lower supply of heavy Canadian crude due to wildfires and as a period granted by Washington to wind down purchases of Venezuelan crude by US companies expired in late May.

Oil prices settled slightly lower on Thursday as traders booked profits from a 4% rally in the prior session, driven by concerns that worsening tensions in the Middle East could cause supply disruptions.

* Light Louisiana Sweet WTC-LLS for July delivery eased 15 cents to a midpoint of a $2.75 premium and was seen bid and offered between a $2.60 and $2.90 a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1

* Mars Sour WTC-MRS firmed 15 cents to a midpoint of a $1.5 premium and was seen bid and offered between a $1.25 and $1.75 a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1

* WTI Midland WTC-WTM eased 10 cents at a midpoint of a 45-cent premium and was seen bid and offered between a 25-cent and 65-cent a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1

* West Texas Sour WTC-WTS was unchanged at a midpoint of a 15-cent discount and was seen bid and offered between a 20-cent and 10-cent a barrel discount to U.S. crude futures CLc1

* WTI at East Houston WTC-MEH, also known as MEH, traded between a 35-cent and 75-cent a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1

* ICE Brent August futures LCOc1 fell 41 cents to settle at $69.36 a barrel on Thursday .

* WTI July crude CLc1 futures rose 52 cents, trading at $68.56 a barrel on Thursday.

* The Brent/WTI spread WTCLc1-LCOc1 narrowed 5 cents to last trade at minus $2.82, after hitting a high of minus $2.71 and a low of minus $2.92.