Soyabean futures at the Chicago Board of Trade were called to open 3 to 5 cents per bushel higher on Thursday, following the strength in wheat and supported by worries about a smaller crop in the southern Midwest, traders said.
Soyabeans in the southern Midwest and north Delta were parched after weeks without rain and intense heat. Highs were in the upper-90s degrees Fahrenheit on Wednesday, with little relief in sight, a forecaster said.
Wheat was called to open 15 to 25 cents per bushel higher after climbing to an all-time high in overnight trade when December hit $7.83-1/2. The spot month September rose about $7.50, a key resistance point, to $7.65-1/2. The wheat market remains underpinned by strong exports and smaller global stocks.
Overhanging the soya market was a disappointing export pace from last week. USDA reported Thursday that 321,600 tonnes of soyabeans were sold last week. Of that, 82,500 tonnes were old-crop, a marketing-year low. Trade estimates were for 400,000 to 600,000 tonnes.
Additionally, there was talk that China had halted unloading of three US soya cargoes, citing quality problems. The move comes as China's exports have come under scrutiny over safety. The products were expected to follow the strength in wheat and soyabeans despite disappointing export data. CBOT soyameal was called to open $1 to $1.50 per ton higher and soyaoil up 0.10 to 0.15 cent per lb.