Heavy Oil Discount Widens as Monthly Trading Cycle Nears End

* WCS for July delivery in Hardisty, Alberta, settled at $13.80 a barrel below the WTI, according to brokerage CalRock, having settled at $13.50 a barrel under the benchmark on Wednesday.

* The Canadian crude trading cycle typically runs for just over two weeks from the start of each month until the day before pipeline nominations are due.

* Global oil prices edged higher in up-and-down trade, supported by an OPEC forecast for demand growth and data showing an U.S. easing labor market and slowing inflation, which stoked hopes for Federal Reserve rate cuts.

(Reporting by Nia Williams in British Columbia; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)