(Investing.com) – U.S. soybean futures gave back some of the previous session’s gains on Monday, as investors squared positions ahead of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s closely-watched monthly crop supply and demand report due later in the week.
The USDA will release its monthly crop supply and demand report on Wednesday, December 10.
Market analysts expect the agency to lower its forecast of 2014-15 soybeans ending stocks, while raising its estimates of corn and wheat ending stocks.
On the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, US soybeans for January delivery shed 5.22 cents, or 0.5%, to trade at $10.3138 a bushel during U.S. morning hours.
Prices of the oilseed rallied 25.4 cents, or 2.52, on Friday to settle at $10.3600 a bushel, as surging demand for soybean products, such as soymeal, boosted prices.
Meanwhile, US corn for March delivery traded at $3.9463 a bushel, up 0.03 cents, or 0.01%. Corn futures tacked on 5.2 cents, or 1.35%, on Friday to close at $3.9500 amid indications of strong demand for U.S. supplies.
Elsewhere on the Chicago Board of Trade, US wheat for March delivery declined 3.88 cents, or 0.65%, to trade at $5.9013 a bushel.
Wheat prices advanced 4.2 cents, or 0.72%, on Friday to end at $5.9400 amid ongoing speculation Russia will limit its exports of the grain.
Russia, the world’s third-largest wheat exporter, has shipped approximately 14 million tons of wheat so far in the 2014-15 marketing season, which started on July 1.
Lower wheat exports from Russia could boost demand for U.S. supplies, which is the world’s biggest exporter of the grain.
Corn is the biggest U.S. crop, followed by soybeans, government figures show. Wheat was fourth, behind hay.
