eCBOT Close, Early Call

The overnights closed mostly a little steadier, helped by a weaker dollar, firmer crude and a mini rebound from recent losses.

Beans closed around 8-9 cents firer, with corn and wheat mostly a cent or two steadier.

Weekly export sales were strong for beans, coming in at 1,048,900 MT, compared to pre-report estimates of 550,000 to 750,000 MT. Despite reports that China will shut the book soon, they took almost 450,000 MT of new crop and there was also more than 300,000 MT sold to 'unknown'.

Wheat and corn sales were in line with trade expectations at 406,700 MT and 938,900 MT respectively.

There's no sign of a US weather threat for at least the next fortnight.

South Korea purchased 55,000 tonnes of corn overnight, and Japan took 127,000 MT of mostly US wheat. Egypt spread their business around yesterday between the US, France and Russia, the US wheat was the cheapest on a FOB basis, around $4-5 under Russian and $7 under French.

Argentine wheat planting is complete at 40.5% down, corn and sunseed planting has just begun and a large increase in soybean area is waiting in the wings.

Brazilian farmers have sold 13% of next year's crop already, according to Celeres.

Early calls for this afternoon's CBOT session: corn called steady to 2 higher; soybeans called 4 to 8 higher; wheat called 1 to 2 higher.