Corn futures on the Chicago Board of Trade were mixed on Friday with supportive export news and an energy bill that is friendly to corn usage pitted against bearish moves in outside markets such as lower crude oil and gold and a firm dollar, traders said.
At 10:10 am CST (1610 GMT), CBOT corn was up 1-1/2 cents per bushel to down 2-3/4, with December up 1/2 cent at $4.19-1/4 per bushel. March was up 3/4 cent at $4.35-3/4.
Traders and analysts said good demand for corn from the livestock, ethanol and export sectors was expected to keep a firm floor under corn futures prices. But the market is expected to remain very volatile.
Heavier-than-expected showers in Argentina's crop region were seen buoying production prospects and favourable crop weather continues in Brazil, DTN Meteorlogix weather said on Friday. Oat futures were unchanged to 8-1/2 cents per bushel lower, with December down 8-1/2 at $2.79 per bushel.