U.S. Plains HRW Wheat-Basis steady in subdued holiday trade

CHICAGO, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Spot basis bids for hard red winter wheat held steady in the southern U.S. Plains on Monday and cash trade was quiet ahead of the New Year's Day holiday, brokers said.

* K.C. HRW March wheat futures KWH25 settled up 1-1/4 cents at $5.55-3/4 per bushel, paring gains after reaching $5.63-1/4, the contract's highest since Dec. 16.

* Producers and market players were monitoring forecasts for cold temperatures late next week in the Plains winter wheat belt. Snowfall expected in the eastern Plains and Midwest ahead of the cold spell should limit the risk of freeze damage, the Commodity Weather Group said in a daily client note.

* U.S. markets and most businesses will be closed on Wednesday in observance of the New Year's Day holiday. CBOT and K.C. wheat futures will trade on a normal schedule on Tuesday.

Basis values are quoted against futures in cts/bu:

NOTES:

H = March, K = May, N = July, U = September

Z = December; UNQ = Unquoted bids

0 = Sp Option price; NC = No comparison

* = No. 1 12% hard winter wheat, rail bids

** = Ordinary protein, rail bids

LINKS:

* K.C. HRW wheat protein scales KCBT/SCA

* U.S. weekly wheat crop progress US/WHE

* U.S. forward basis WHEAT/BASIS

* U.S. Midwest cash grain PM GRA/PM

* U.S. CIF Gulf Grain GRA/C

* U.S. FOB Gulf Grain GRA/F

(Reporting by Julie Ingwersen; Editing by Leslie Adler)

((Julie.ingwersen@thomsonreuters.com; 1-313-484-5283; Reuters Messaging: julie.ingwersen.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))