Soyabean futures at the Chicago Board of Trade sank on Friday with the spot contract closing below $5 for the first time in 2-1/2 years, traders said. The market was under pressure most of the week amid prospects for a huge South American crop and importers beginning to switch their business to Brazil and Argentina from the United States as the South American harvest progresses. There also was talk of an ample supply of old-crop Argentina soyabeans was finding its way into marketing channels this week.
A quiet US cash market as fresh export demand was thin ahead of the Asian Lunar New Year next week added to the bearish sentiment. Brazilian markets will be closed next week for the Carnival holiday.
"The ongoing bearish fundamentals, while they're getting pretty stale, seem to be dominating the price action," said Anne Frick, an oilseed analyst with Prudential Securities, referring to the record large US 2004 soya harvest and outlooks for a huge South American crop.
March soyabeans closed 2-1/2 cents lower at $4.99-1/2 per bushel, slipping to a contract low of $4.98-1/2 earlier.
"I thought that an average projection for a harvest low based on action in similar years would be $4.95 to $4.98 - we're sort of there. I don't know how much more downside potential there is," Frick added.
Mostly favorable South American crop weather was bearish. Showers were forecast to move through soya fields in southern Brazil over the weekend.
But Brazil's No. 3 soya state, Rio Grande do Sul, was dry on Thursday, with conditions expected to remain dry over the next seven days. That state benefited from rain this week but was still on the dry side.
Argentina soya country was expected to get showers Monday through Wednesday.
Basis bids were weaker in the western US Midwest, where country movement has picked up, while bids were mostly steady in the east.
CIF soyabeans at the US Gulf weakened by midday, with fresh export demand quiet.
Futures volume was light amid quiet cash markets, floor traders said. Funds sold roughly 2,000-2,500 lots, while commercials were net buyers of about 1,000 contracts - taking advantage of the day's weakness to price soyabeans. Cargill Inc, FC Stone and Bunge each bought at least 200 March.
Most of the trade was in spreading as firms continued to roll their March positions before first notice day of deliveries on February 28.
UBS Warburg was featured spreading 1,400 March/July.
Soyameal futures closed weaker, following soyabeans, with contract lows made in all months. Steady to weaker US cash soyameal markets also pressured futures amid scattered soyabean sales this week.
March soyameal closed $1.90 lower at $148.80 per ton. The back months were 70 cents to $2 lower.
The soyaoil market closed firm trying to recover from its series of contract lows over the past month. This week's dip below 19 cents in March sparked commercial pricing on Friday. They net bought about 1,500 contracts. Funds were net sellers of roughly 1,000 contracts.
March soyaoil closed 0.18 cent higher at 19.04 cents. The deferreds settled 0.02 to 0.15 firmer.
Malaysian palm oil futures closed lower overnight. Trade volume was light before the holiday break next week for the Chinese New Year and Muslim religious holiday.
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