Chicago agricultural commodities settle lower

CHICAGO, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) grains closed slightly lower on Friday as investors weighed demand news against rising inventories.

The most active corn contract for March delivery fell 1 cent, or 0.29 percent to settle at 3.475 dollars per bushel. March wheat delivery remained unchanged at 4.1825 dollars per bushel. January soybeans edged down 0.5 cent, or 0.05 percent to close at 9.6725 dollars per bushel.

CBOT brokers reported that funds sold a net 1,300 contracts of corn, 1,100 contracts of wheat and 1,900 contracts of soybeans.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported on Friday morning new export sales of soybeans, corn and wheat.

Based on the official data, investors found that accumulative total sales since the start of the current marketing year on Sept. 1 for corn and soybeans, and June 1 for wheat were down from the same period of 2016/17.

As stockpiles weighed on prices, the prices of CBOT commodities went down, said analysts. Enditem