Wheat steady-up 2 cents, corn mixed, soy up 9-10 cents

CHICAGO: Following are US trade expectations for the opening of grain and soy complex trading at the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) at 8:30 a.m. CDT (1330 GMT) on Thursday.

WHEAT - Steady to up 2 cents per bushel

Market stabilizing after two straight days of declines.

The US Agriculture Department reported totaled wheat export sales for the week ended April 22 at 461,300 tonnes. Analysts' forecasts ranged from 200,000 to 750,000 tonnes.

CBOT July soft red winter wheat was last 2 cents higher at $7.24-3/4 per bushel. K.C. July hard red winter wheat was last down 1/2 cent at $6.96 per bushel. MGEX July spring wheat was 1-1/2 cents higher at $7.33-1/2 per bushel.

CORN - Mixed, down 2 to up 4 cents per bushel

Corn mixed, with the May and July contracts supported by short-covering and concerns about crop prospects in Brazil. Deferred contracts under pressure from profit taking and expectations for good planting progress in US Midwest during next few weeks.

Corn export sales totaled 1.075 million tonnes in the week ended April 22, USDA said. That was in line with analysts' forecasts that ranged from 500,000 tonnes to 1.6 million tonnes.

CBOT July corn was last down 12-1/4 cents at $6.42-1/4 per bushel.

SOYBEANS - Up 9 to 10 cents per bushel

Signs of good export demand underpin soybean market, which ended overnight trading near its session high. Strength in crude oil market adds support to soy complex.

USDA said soybean export sales totaled 731,500 tonnes, topping forecasts that ranged from 100,000 tonnes to 700,000 tonnes.

CBOT July soybeans were last up 10 cents at $15.23-3/4 per bushel.