US Cash Crude-Grades mixed as crude stocks build, WTI/Brent spread stays narrow

July 1 (Reuters) - Grades were mixed on Tuesday, dealers said, as industry data pointed to a rise in crude stocks last week, and as the spread between U.S. crude and Brent widened marginally.

WTI Midland WTC-WTM and West Texas Sour WTC_WTS rose 20 cents each. Mars WTC-MRS eased 95 cents, while Light Louisiana Sweet WTS-LLS was unchanged.

U.S. crude rose by 680,000 barrels in the week ended June 27, market sources said, citing American Petroleum Institute figures on Tuesday.

Gasoline stocks rose by 1.9 million barrels, while distillate inventories fell by 3.5 million barrels, they said.

U.S. crude futures' discount to Brent widened to as much as minus $3 a barrel on Tuesday, but still remained under the minus $4 a barrel needed to encourage exports.

A narrower spread makes U.S. grades less attractive to foreign buyers.

Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, may raise its August crude oil prices for buyers in Asia to the highest in four months, after spot prices surged during the Iran-Israel conflict and on robust summer fuel demand, trade sources said.

Higher prices for oil from Saudi Arabia to Asia could boost demand for U.S. crude.

In the futures market, oil prices edged higher on Tuesday as investors took stock of positive demand indicators, while also treading cautiously ahead of an OPEC+ meeting to decide the group's August output policy.

* Light Louisiana Sweet WTC-LLS for August delivery was unchanged at a midpoint of a $2.00 premium and was seen bid and offered between a $1.80 and $2.20 a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1

* Mars Sour WTC-MRS eased 95 cents to a midpoint of a 5-cent premium and was seen bid and offered between a discount of 10 cents and 20-cent a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1

* WTI Midland WTC-WTM gained 20 cents to a midpoint of a 40-cent premium and was seen bid and offered between a 20-cent and 60-cent a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1

* West Texas Sour WTC-WTS gained 20 cents to a midpoint of a 25-cent discount and was seen bid and offered between discount of 50 cents and parity to U.S. crude futures CLc1

* WTI at East Houston WTC-MEH, also known as MEH, traded between a 40-cent and 80-cent a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1

* ICE Brent September futures LCOc1 rose 37 cents to settle at $67.11 a barrel on Tuesday.

* WTI August crude CLc1 futures rose 6 cents and is currently trading at $65.51 a barrel on Tuesday.

* The Brent/WTI spread WTCLc1-LCOc1 widened 9 cents to last trade at minus $2.98, after hitting a high of minus $2.85 and a low of minus $3.00.