CBOT Trends-Wheat down 4-5 cents, corn down 1-3 cents, soy down 6-8 cents

CHICAGO, Jan 3 (Reuters) - Following are U.S. expectations for the resumption of grain and soy complex trading at the Chicago Board of Trade at 8:30 a.m. CST (1430 GMT) on Friday.

WHEAT - Down 4 to 5 cents per bushel

* Wheat futures head lower for a second straight session on a lack of supportive news and sluggish export demand for U.S. wheat supplies, along with a weaker trend in corn and soybean futures.

* The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported export sales of U.S. wheat in the week ended Dec. 26 at 140,600 metric tons, below a range of trade expectations for 200,000 to 500,000 tons. EXP/WHE

* CBOT March soft red winter wheat WH25 was last down 5 cents at $5.40-3/4 a bushel. K.C. March hard red winter wheat KWH25 was last down 4-1/4 cents at $5.47-1/2 a bushel and Minneapolis March spring wheat MWEH25 was last down 2 cents at $5.87-1/2 a bushel.

CORN - Down 1 to 3 cents per bushel

* Corn futures seen lower after the benchmark March contract CH25 climbed to six-month highs this week, triggering a round of farmer selling and speculative profit-taking. Disappointing weekly export sales data adds pressure. Market underpinned by forecasts for a drying trend in crop areas of Argentina.

* The USDA reported export sales of U.S. corn in the week ended Dec. 26 at 777,000 metric tons, below a range of trade expectations for 800,000 to 1,400,000 tons. EXP/CORN

* Traders are starting to position for the USDA's big Jan. 10 supply/demand reports in which the government will update its estimates of the U.S. 2024 corn harvest and 2024/25 ending stocks, as well as quarterly U.S. stocks as of Dec. 1.

* CBOT March corn CH25 was last down 2-1/2 cents at $4.57 a bushel.

SOYBEANS - Down 6 to 8 cents per bushel

* Soybean futures head lower on profit-taking and light farmer sales one day after the most-active March contract SH25 reached a six-week high at $10.15-3/4 a bushel. Smaller-than-expected weekly soybean export sales add pressure.

* The USDA reported export sales of U.S. soybeans in the week ended Dec. 26 at 484,700 metric tons, below a range of trade expectations for 500,000 to 1,200,000 tons. EXP/SOY

* Market players continue to monitor outlooks for a drying trend in crop areas of Argentina.

* However, traders still expect big South American crops overall. Commodity brokerage StoneX on Thursday raised its estimate of Brazil's 2024-2025 soybean crop to 171.4 million metric tons, up from 166.2 million in December.

* The CBOT reported 331 deliveries against January soybean SF25 futures. The exchange reported 333 deliveries against January soymeal SMF25 futures, with the Bunge house account stopping 95 lots. Deliveries against January soyoil BOF25 futures totaled 237 contracts. SOY/DEL MEAL/DEL SBO/DEL

* CBOT March soybeans SH25 were last down 6-1/2 cents at $10.05-1/2 per bushel.

(Reporting by Julie Ingwersen)

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