US Cash Crude-Grades ease as Brent/WTI spread narrows

Nov 10 (Reuters) - U.S. crude grades largely weakened on Monday, dealers said, as the discount between Brent and U.S. West Texas intermediate crude narrowed.

WTI Midland, WTI at East Houston, also known as MEH, and Mars Sour eased.

The spread between Brent and WTI to as much as minus $3.98, below the minus $4 mark that incentivizes exports.

Two Indian state refiners have purchased 5 million barrels of crude oil from spot markets via tenders as they continue to scout for alternatives to Russian supplies, trade sources said. Hindustan Petroleum Corp HPCL.NS has bought 2 million barrels each of U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude and Abu Dhabi's Murban crude for January arrival, they said.

In refining news, U.S. oil refiners are expected to have about 500,000 barrels per day of capacity offline in the week ending November 14, increasing available refining capacity by 303,000 bpd, research company IIR Energy said on Monday

• Light Louisiana Sweet for December delivery was unchanged at a midpoint of a 90-cent premium and was seen bid and offered between a 80-cent and $1.00 a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1

• Mars weakened 15 cents to a midpoint of a $1.7 discount and was seen bid and offered between a $1.90 and $1.50 a barrel discount to U.S. crude futures CLc1

• WTI Midland weakened 5 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 firmed to a midpoint of a 80-cent discount and was seen bid and offered between a 85-cent and 75-cent a barrel discount to U.S. crude futures CLc1 ​

• WTI at East Houston , also known as MEH, traded between a 50-cent and 90-cent a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1

• ICE Brent January futures LCOc1 rose 43 cents to settle at $64.06 a barrel on Monday​.

• WTI December crude CLc1 futures rose 38 cents to settle at $60.13 a barrel on Monday​.

• The Brent/WTI spread narrowed 1 cent to last trade at minus $4.00, after hitting a high of minus $3.98 and a low of minus $4.05.