Higher dollar undercuts grain futures

March 16, 2010 - 0 comments

Chicago -- Grain prices closed lower Monday on the Chicago Board of Trade, with purchases held back by a stronger dollar and lower crude oil prices.

Corn was off 1/2 to off 1 1/4, soybeans were off 1/2 to up 4 1/2, wheat was off 5 1/4 to off 6 1/2 and oats off 2 1/2 to up 2.

Corn traded lower as the dollar index gained 0.5 percent. Wheat slid as Iraq and Algeria put out tenders for wheat Monday, the latter specifically looking to buy from European sources. Rising expectations for the Brazilian soybean crop is pressuring prices of soybeans with the harvest under way.

The prices:
Corn: May 3.63 1/4, off 1; Jly 3.74 1/4, off 1 1/4; Sep 3.83 3/4, off 1/2; Dec 3.93, off 3/4.

Soybeans: May 9.30, up 4 1/2; Jly 9.37 1/2, up 4; Aug 9.35 1/2, up 2 1/2; Sep 9.21 1/2, off 1/2.

Wheat: May 4.79 1/4, off 6; Jly 4.92, off 6; Sep 5.07 1/2, off 6 1/2; Dec 5.35, off 5 1/4.

Oats: May 2.16, off 2 1/2; Jly 2.24 3/4, off 2 1/4; Sep 2.33 1/4, off 1 3/4; Dec 2.46, off 3/4.