Soyabean futures on the Chicago Board of Trade closed lower on Thursday, with the most-active March contract down 1.11 percent, pressed by a stronger US dollar and weaker-than-expected export data, traders said. The dollar gained ground on upbeat expectations for Friday's US employment report for December. A Reuters poll calls for an increase in nonfarm payroll of 175,000.
US export data released by the US Department of Agriculture showed sales of soya last week totalled 552,700 tonnes, below estimates for 700,000 to 900,000 tonnes. Funds were net sellers of an estimated 5,000 soyabean contracts, while commercials bought some 1,000 contracts. Commercials also bought earlier this week, traders said.
January soyabeans ended down 16-1/2 cents at $13.69-1/2 per bushel; most-active March was down 15-1/2 at $13.78; and new-crop November was down 9-1/2 at $12.86. March soyameal was down $3.90 at $369.10 per ton, and March soyaoil was down 0.35 cent at 57.41 cents per lb.