US corn futures fell to a two-month low and soyabean futures hit a seven-week low on fading expectations for a US-China trade deal before the end of the year, analysts said.
Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures were modestly higher on technical buying and concerns about this week's decline in US crop condition ratings.
As of 1:06 p.m. CST (1906 GMT), CBOT December corn was down 3 cents at $3.67 per bushel after dipping to $3.65-3/4, its lowest since Sept. 18. January soyabeans were down 5 cents at $9.06-1/2 after breaking through chart support at $9.10.
CBOT December wheat was up 2-3/4 cents at $5.14-3/4 a bushel.
Soyabean futures fell to session lows after a report said a "phase one" trade deal between Washington and Beijing may not be completed this year. Completion of an initial trade deal could slide into next year, Reuters reported, citing trade experts and people close to the White House.
China is the world's largest soya importer.
Both sides had pointed to progress in the talks in the past week, but US President Donald Trump warned on Tuesday that his country would raise tariffs on Chinese imports if no deal was reached.
CBOT corn futures sagged even before Wednesday's news report, weighed down by seasonal pressure from the ongoing US harvest and liquidation ahead of the delivery phase for the December contract, which begins next week.
Weather forecasts for beneficial rains in crop areas of Brazil and Argentina added pressure, bolstering prospects for South American corn and soya production. Wheat futures firmed despite a lack of market-moving news, with analysts citing short-covering and Monday's weekly US crop progress report in which the US Department of Agriculture rated 52% of the US winter wheat crop in good to excellent condition, down from 54% a week earlier.
CBOT December oat futures were up 8 cents at $3.14-1/2 a bushel and notched a contract high at $3.19-1/2 on worries about supplies of milling-quality oats due to poor weather in Canada and a strike by Canadian National Railway workers that could slow oats transportation.
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