Chicago Board of Trade soyabean futures were firm at midday Tuesday on light speculative short covering and commercial buying after early losses on forecasts for a record 2004 US soya crop, brokers said.
CBOT soyabean futures were last up 4 cents to unchanged, with November up 3 cents at $5.28-1/4, after setting a fresh 14-month low early of $5.19, and January up 2-1/2 cents at $5.35-1/2, after setting a new contract low of $5.27.
Cargill Inc. and Tenco Inc. each bought 400 November while Rand Financial bought 500 November, brokers said.
Early losses on Tuesday followed influential analytical firm Informa Economics' forecast for 2004 US soya production at a record 3.107 billion bushels, CBOT soya brokers said. In addition, FC Stone late Monday forecast the crop at 3.057 billion bushels.
Both estimates topped the previous US soyabean production record of 2.891 billion set in 2001.
The US Department of Agriculture will release its October production report next Tuesday.
CBOT soyameal futures were down $1.60 per ton to up 30 cents, with October down $1.60 at $154.30 and December down $1.60 at $157.80.
Speculative sales outweighed commercial buying, brokers said. Cargill Inc. bought a net 400 December, Produce Grain bought 300 December and Caylon Financial sold 500 December, they said.
There were 52 deliveries posted on Tuesday against CBOT October soyameal, with a Goldenberg Hehmeyer customer stopping 31 lots.
Cash US soyameal basis offers were mostly steady as higher freight rates offset pressure from ample soyameal supplies, dealers said.
Soyaoil futures were last up 0.43 cent to down 0.05 cent per lb, with October up 0.39 cent at 21.08 cents and December up 0.41 cent at 21.22 cents.