Investing.com - U.S. corn futures traded near a three-week high on Wednesday, as investors squared positions ahead of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s closely-watched monthly crop supply and demand report due later in the week.
On the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, U.S. corn for December delivery traded at $3.3938 a bushel during U.S. morning hours, down 0.82 cents, or 0.24%. Prices hit $3.4220 on Tuesday, the most since September 17.
Corn futures rallied 8.0 cents, or 2.41%, on Tuesday to end at $3.4040 a bushel amid concerns over a slowdown in the U.S. harvest due to rains in the Midwest.
The USDA said earlier in the week that nearly 17% of the U.S. corn harvest was completed as of October 5, compared to the five-year average of 32% for this time of year.
The USDA in September estimated this fall's U.S. corn harvest would reach an all-time high of 14.395 billion bushels.
The agency is scheduled to update its estimates on Friday, October 10.
Meanwhile, U.S. soybeans for November delivery tacked on 1.43 cents, or 0.15%, to trade at $9.4263 a bushel.
A day earlier, prices of the oilseed shed 1.4 cents, or 0.16%, to settle at $9.4060.
According to the USDA, approximately 20% of the U.S. soy harvest was completed as of last week, below the five-year average of 35% for this time of year.
The agency forecast this fall's U.S. soybean harvest at a record 3.913 billion bushels.
Elsewhere on the CBOT, U.S. wheat for December delivery tacked on 1.23 cents, or 0.24%, to trade at $5.0663 a bushel. Prices rallied to a session high of $5.1138 earlier in the day, the most since September 11.
Wheat prices jumped 14.6 cents, or 3%, to close at $5.0620 on Tuesday, as indications of increased demand for U.S. supplies supported prices.
Corn is the biggest U.S. crop, followed by soybeans, government figures show. Wheat was fourth, behind hay.