July soybeans opened 12 cents higher on the session at 1345 and established an early range of 1342 1/2 to 1363 1/2. The market opened higher this morning led by soybeans and oil and rallied sharply into the early session. Floor traders said that the strength was due to aggressive local buying and commission house short covering. Prices retreated into the early mid session with meal briefly trading lower on the day. Traders indicated higher crude oil prices and a sharply lower dollar morning combined to pull oil and soybeans higher. They also credited the slower than expected planting pace for corn and soybeans and the USDA's lowering of its quality estimates of the winter wheat crop as helping to create a positive tone in all grain and oilseed markets. Current weather forecasts call for mostly clear planting weather in the east through the remainder of this week. This is the area that is farthest behind. An agriculture ministry official in India said today that India could buy 500,000 to 700,000 tonnes of vegetable oils per month during the June through September period. Basis levels were steady at the Gulf this morning.