CBOT corn futures up

Chicago Board of Trade corn futures surged nearly 2 percent Friday on short-covering after contract lows this week, and expectations that weekly data from the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission would show large speculators holding a near-record net short position, traders said. Also, talk of a firming cash basis at US Pacific Northwest export terminals sparked chatter about possible corn export sales to China. CBOT December corn settled up 6-1/2 cents at $3.43, posting its biggest single-day climb in four weeks.