CHICAGO: Chicago Board of Trade soybeans and corn futures eased on Friday, with both poised to set a weekly loss, as farmers kept clearing out their grain bins ahead of a US harvest that is forecast to see massive yields, traders said.

Wheat futures firmed as problems with the French and German wheat crop, plagued by excess harvest-time rain, supported prices. Most-active CBOT wheat ticked up 4-1/4 cents to $5.32-1/2 a bushel as of 1600 GMT, was corn was last down 2-1/4 cents at $3.94-3/4 a bushel.

Meanwhile, most-active soybean futures were down 7 cents at $9.61 a bushel - and dipped at one point to $9.55 a bushel, the lowest since September 2, 2020. US wheat futures have continued to face pressure from a strong Black Sea wheat crop.

However, the French soft wheat crop, which is expected to be the smallest since the 1980s, and a declining German crop have provided a floor under prices.

All three crops were trading close to their lowest since 2020 against a backdrop of large US supplies and stiff competition from Brazil and Russia to capture limited demand.

Farmers have been selling off huge volumes of old crop corn and soybeans to generate much-needed cash flow ahead of the fall, when property taxes, crop insurance and other bills come due, traders said. Meanwhile, funds continue to hold large short positions on US commodities, leaving the market open to short covering. “It’s a perfect storm for funds,” Darin Fessler, trader at Lakefront Futures and Options, said.

“They’re thinking about getting out of their massive shorts while producers are selling.” Renewed concern about China’s economy and weak Chinese demand for US soy also weighed over US soy futures, traders said.

“The Chinese economy isn’t exactly hunky dory,” Fessler said. “Demand hasn’t been great, and it’s putting further pressure on US prices even though US beans are cheap.” (Reporting by Heather Schlitz in Chicago.