US FOB Gulf basis wheat basis offers were marked 10 cents a bushel lower for nearby shipments late Friday, reacting to slow exports and the biggest weekly jump in futures since July 2012, traders said. Corn and soyabean basis values were steady as futures fell on profit-taking and harvest movement.
FOB HRW wheat for December loading was offered 10 cents down at 170 cents over KCBT December futures. SRW wheat at the New Orleans Gulf was also 10 cents lower at 165 cents over CBOT December. US futures jumped this week on fears of winterkill in the Plains and eastern Corn Belt. Chicago December closed 6-3/4 up at $5.60-1/2 and KCBT December ended up 1/4 at $6.05-1/2.
Gains in wheat futures came even as US prices remain uncompetitive against Black Sea, European and Argentine origins. The strong dollar also has weighed on wheat and corn demand. USDA reported all-wheat export sales for the week ended November 6 at only 417,700 tonnes, though up 57 percent from the previous week. The leader remains hard red spring wheat given the lack of high protein in many locations overseas. Portland traders, who handle most spring wheat exports, reported cash bids up 15 cents on Friday.
Spring wheat sales accounted for 148,700 tonnes of the bookings. USDA reported weekly corn sales of 505,300 tonnes, down 49 percent on the four-week average. This week's rally in futures amid harvest tempered the export market, traders said. China, which has very little US corn on order given the GMO strain controversy, cancelled 3,000 tonnes.
Corn shipments were only 600,800 tonnes, with a third going to Mexico. CBOT December corn closed 4-1/2 cents lower at $3.81-3/4 on profit-taking as well as harvest prehedging, traders said. USDA reported 1.074 million tonnes of weekly soyabean export sales - 28 percent below the four-week average. China booked 733,000 tonnes, including 168,000 switched from unknown, and shipped 1.56 million.
USDA confirmed 180,000 tonnes sold to China as switches from earlier sales reported to unknown. Business may pick up with the drop in futures, traders said. January soya closed down 31 at $10.22-1/2 on profit taking and hedging as farmers moved soyabeans off their books, traders said.
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