CBOT wheat ends down as trade woes spark broad market sell-off

CHICAGO, March 4 (Reuters) - Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures fell about 2% on Tuesday and the front three contract months set life-of-contract lows following a broad sell-off in commodities and equities on fears that President Donald Trump's trade policies will curb demand for U.S. goods, traders said.

• CBOT May soft red winter wheat WK25 settled down 11 cents at $5.36-3/4 per bushel after falling to a contract low at $5.30. CBOT March WH25 and July WN25 wheat also hit contract lows.

• K.C. May hard red winter wheat KWK25 ended down 15-1/2 cents at $5.48-1/2 a bushel and Minneapolis May spring wheat MWEK25 fell 11-1/4 cents to settle at $5.80.

• Trump slapped 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada and doubled duties on Chinese goods to 20%.

• Canada responded with 25% tariffs on more than $20 billion in U.S. imports while China said it would impose additional tariffs on agricultural products starting next week. Mexico's government is expected to respond on Sunday.

• Traders shrugged off bullish news that the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed private sales of 130,000 metric tons of U.S. white wheat to South Korea.

• Winter wheat condition ratings improved during the month of February in Kansas, the top U.S. producer, but worsened in Montana, Nebraska and the Dakotas, the USDA reported on Monday.

• Russia's Agriculture Ministry reported that 87% of the country's winter crops are in good or satisfactory condition, up from 82% at the end of January.