Grades weaken as Brent/WTI spread contracts U.S. cash crude differentials mostly weakened on Monday as the spread between benchmark U.S. crude futures and Brent contracted, dealers said. Coastal grades including Louisiana light Sweet (LLS) and Mars eased as the Brent/WTI spread narrowed by 7 cents a barrel. A narrow spread typically makes U.S.-crude linked coastal grades less attractive to international buyers compared to Brent-linked grades. Among inland grades, WTI Midland eased by 5 cents on signs of increased production from the Permian basin. Output from the Permian, the top-producing basin in the country, is expected to rise by 52,000 bpd to about 4.47 million bpd, the highest since April 2020, the EIA said in a monthly forecast.