Wheat hovers near 10-month high on Russian crop worries; corn firms
SINGAPORE, May 23 (Reuters) -Chicago wheat futures climbed on Thursday, with prices trading close to their highest levels in 10 months hit in the previous session, as expectations of lower production in top exporter Russia continued to buoy the market.
Corn futures rose, tracking the strong performance in wheat prices, while soybeans were trading largely flat.
FUNDAMENTALS
* The most-active wheat contract on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) Wv1 was up 0.5% at $6.96-1/4 a bushel, as of 0007 GMT, having climbed to its highest since late July at $7.16-3/4 a bushel on Wednesday.
* Corn Cv1 rose 0.2% to $4.62-1/4 a bushel, while soybeans Sv1 were flat at $12.46-1/4 a bushel.
* Russia's IKAR agricultural consultancy has cut forecasts for Russia's wheat harvest and exports after unusually hot spring weather combined with bitter frosts in the heart of Russia's bread basket.
* IKAR cut its Russian wheat crop forecast to 83.5 million metric tons from 86 million tons and reduced the projection for the country's exports to 45 million tons from 47 million tons.
* Traders are keeping a close watch on Russia, with some rain relief from dryness expected in the next 11 to 15 days, according to an analyst note.
* In Ukraine, crops have also faced dryness and frosts. A state weather forecaster said frosts had not significantly damaged crops but traders are wary after consultants APK-Inform on Monday warned of yield losses.
* Drought in two key Brazilian corn-growing states is reducing the potential size of the country's second corn crop, according to Agroconsult, an agribusiness consultancy that this week is kicking off a countrywide field tour.
* Chicago wheat futures surged to their biggest premium over corn since 2022 this week, stoking demand for cheaper alternatives that could help whittle down large global corn supplies.
* For corn and soybeans, faster-than-expected planting progress in the U.S. is keeping a lid on prices.
* Commodity funds were net buyers of CBOT corn and soybean, soymeal and soyoil futures on Wednesday and net sellers of wheat futures, traders said. COMFUND/CBT
MARKET NEWS
* Wall Street ended lower and oil prices fell on Wednesday as investors parsed minutes from the U.S. Federal Reserve's most recent policy meeting. MKTS/GLOB
DATA/EVENTS (GMT)
0500 Japan Chain Store Sales YY April
0715 France HCOB Mfg, Serv, Comp Flash PMIs May
0730 Germany HCOB Mfg, Serv, Comp Flash PMIs May
0800 EU HCOB Mfg, Serv, Comp Flash PMIs May
0830 UK Flash Comp, Mfg, Serv PMIs May
1230 US Initial Jobless Clm Weekly
1445 US S&P Global Mfg, Svcs, Comp Flash PMIs May
1400 EU Consumer Confid. Flash May
1400 US New Home Sales-Units April
G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meet in Stresa, Italy to debate global economic developments
Reporting by Naveen Thukral; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips
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