US soyabean futures reached a one-month high on Thursday on robust export demand and worries about conditions in South American crop regions, analysts said. Corn and wheat followed the firm trend, drawing additional support from broad strength in other commodities, including crude oil. The 19-market Thomson Reuters CoreCommodity Index was up 0.4 percent after posting its highest level since May. As of 12:51 pm CDT (1751 GMT), Chicago Board of Trade November soyabeans were up 15 cents at $9.75-1/2 per bushel after reaching $9.78-1/4, the highest since August 10.
CBOT December corn was up 3 cents at $3.54-1/2 per bushel and December wheat was up 3/4 cent at $4.44 a bushel. Soyabeans rose after the US Department of Agriculture reported export sales of US soyabeans in the latest week at 1.6 million tonnes, topping a range of trade expectations for 1.0 million to 1.3 million tonnes.
Through its daily reporting system, the USDA also private exporters sold another 198,000 tonnes of US soyabeans to China. Dryness in Brazil, the world's top soyabean exporter, was also supportive. CBOT corn was firm but rangebound as traders awaited yield reports from the US harvest, which is just getting started in the heart of the Midwest. The US corn crop is maturing more slowly than usual, but freeze threats remain low for the next two weeks.
Wheat struggled to stay in positive territory after the CBOT December contract reached a one-month high of $4.50-1/2 a bushel. Ample global wheat supplies continue to hang over the market, although dry conditions are threatening yield prospects in parts of Australia, a key exporter.