US rice futures on the Chicago Board of Trade closed mixed on Friday, with the nearby contracts supported by spillover buying from soybeans and wheat, traders said. The softer dollar was also supportive. Front two months ended 15 cents per hundredweight higher; May rice at $12.78 and July $13.01-1/2. New-crop November rice ended down 1 cent at $12.33-1/2.
CBOT May wheat closed 13 higher at $5.63-1/2 per bushel on US weather worries while May soybeans ended up 18-1/2 at $9.95-1/2 amid smaller Argentine crop forecasts. Estimated volume was light at 392 futures and 105 options. Rice options trade featured firms buying May puts, liquidating positions. Indonesia will not export medium-grade rice this year but will use any surplus to build up domestic supplies amid fears over food security -trade ministry officials.