May Corn finished up 3 1/4 at 555 1/2, 2 off the high and 9 up from the low. December Corn closed unchanged at 568 1/2. This was 6 1/2 up from the low and 3 1/2 off the high.

Corn opened lower today and generally firmed during the session to close higher on the day. This was the opposite of soybeans and wheat which opened higher and closed lower. Volume was light and featureless for most of the day with funds notable by their absence according to one floor trader. Old crop May and July gained on the December contract today in a mild reversal of recent action. Wet weather remains the biggest factor in corn with the southern Midwest looking for delays in planting to continue at least into next week. The next significant showers are expected Saturday night and into Sunday and Monday in the wettest areas of the southern Midwest and the 6-10 day forecast calls for above normal precipitation. Basis levels at the Gulf are steady this morning. Export sales were in line with trade expectations at 730,300 tonnes for both old and new crop. Old crop sales were 632,500 tonnes which compares to 404,000 tonnes needed each week to reach the USDA projection. Total sales to date stand at 84.9% of the projected total versus a 5-year average of 68.5%. Japan and Columbia were the largest buyers followed by Cuba. Lock 25 on the Mississippi just north of St. Louis closed last night. It had been expected to close on Friday for one week of repairs. This was the second time that the scheduled closing was moved up.

May Rice finished up 0.085 at 19.305, 0.115 off the high and 0.055 up from the low.