Chicago crop futures ended Friday on a mostly weak note, with a rebound in the American dollar weighing on the markets.
Along with the stronger greenback – which had slumped to a four-year low earlier this week – soybeans were pressured by profit taking and trader positioning ahead of the end of the month. March beans fell 8 cents to $10.64 ¼, and new-crop November lost a dime to $10.79 ¾.
Wheat was mainly lower, with the higher US dollar a negative price factor. Profit taking also pressured. Melting snow across the southern Plains continues to provide beneficial moisture for winter wheat, while much of the northern Plains’ wheat remains devoid of a protective snow cover. March Chicago wheat lost 3 ½ cents to $5.38, and March Kansas City was down 2 ¼ cents at $5.44 ¾. March Hard Red Spring managed a ¼-cent gain to $5.73 ¾, and March Minneapolis dropped 3 ¼ cents to $5.78 ¼.
Losses in wheat and soybeans pulled corn lower, with March down 2 ½ cents at $4.28 ¼, and December down 3 cents at $4.56.
