HOUSTON, Feb 8 (Reuters) - U.S. cash crudes eased on Monday as a key spread moved in favor of West Texas Intermediate and buyers accelerated filling of March refining slates, traders said.
Mars sour fell to $3.75 a barrel under WTI but ended at minus $3.50, down 40 cents. Heavy Louisiana Sweet lost 35 cents to sell for $1.10 under the screen.
Light Louisiana Sweet weakened early but ended unchanged at plus $1.10 as buying steadied differentials.
Analysts said physical crude buying, slow to moderate last week, accelerated Monday as traders start filling refiner slates for March.
For other cash crude deals, see.
On futures markets, March WTI gained 70 cents to $71.89 a barrel. March Brent on rose 52 cents to $70.11.
The trans-Atlantic spread widened 18 cents to $1.78 in favor of WTI. The March-April WTI spread was unchanged at minus 40 cents.
The last publicly disclosed sale of Alaska North Slope crude charted even with WTI. Buyers raised prices for California crudes 70 cents a barrel.
(Reporting by Bruce Nichols; Editing by Marguerita Choy)
((Email: b.nichols@thomsonreuters.com; +1 713 210 8510; Reuters Messaging: bruce.nichols.reuters.com@reuters.net)) Keywords: MARKETS USCRUDE
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