SINGAPORE, Nov 19 (Reuters) - Chicago soybean futures edged lower on Thursday, with prices easing from their highest level since June 2016 hit in the previous session on the back of strong demand and dry weather in parts of South America.
Corn and wheat slid in early Asian trade.
FUNDAMENTALS
* The most-active soybean contract on the Chicago Board Of Trade (CBOT) was down 0.3% at $11.72 a bushel by 0118 GMT. The market climbed to its highest since June 2016 at $11.90 a bushel on Wednesday.
* Corn was down 0.4 at $4.28-3/4 a bushel and wheat lost 0.3% to $5.96 a bushel.
* Global grain and oilseed markets have been supported by dry weather in South America and strong demand from China. Recent rains have alleviated some of the weather stress in Brazil and Argentina, but tightening global supplies, particularly for soybeans, have left little room for a crop shortfall.
* The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Wednesday said private exporters sold 140,000 tonnes of U.S. corn to undisclosed buyers. That followed recent large corn sales to Mexico and South Korea.
* U.S. farmers could plant a record acreage of major field crops next year if favourable prices continue and spring weather allows, a USDA official said on Wednesday.
* Commodity funds were net buyers of CBOT corn, soybean, soyoil and wheat futures contracts on Wednesday and net sellers of soymeal, traders said.
MARKET NEWS
* Asian stocks followed Wall Street's sharp selloff on Thursday as concerns about rising coronavirus infections and new shutdowns in major U.S. cities hosed down earlier investor enthusiasm about COVID-19 vaccine developments.
DATA/EVENTS (GMT) 0030 Australia Employment, Unemployment Rate Oct 1330 US Initial Jobless Clm Weekly 1330 US Philly Fed Business Indx Nov 1500 US Existing Home Sales Oct (Reporting by Naveen Thukral, Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
