CBOT soybeans tick down on South American harvest, tariff concerns

CHICAGO, March 19 (Reuters) - Chicago Board of Trade soybean futures finished lower on Wednesday as the harvest of a large South American crop wrapped up and concerns about retaliation against U.S. tariff policies continued.

• CBOT May soybeans SK25 settled down 4-1/2 cents at $10.08-1/4 per bushel.

• CBOT May soymeal SMK25 ended down $2.20 at $297.70 per short ton.

• CBOT May soyoil BOK25 lost 0.18 cent to finish at 42.36 cents per pound.

• The harvest is wrapping up in Brazil's Matto Grosso state, with 97% of the soybean crop harvested as light rains fall, ahead of the five-year average of 93%, according to Maxar.

• Soybean futures received support from expectations that U.S. farmers will devote more acreage to corn planting in 2025, analysts said.

• More pressure came from ongoing investor fears about the impact of retaliation against U.S. agricultural exports to U.S. tariff policies, said analysts.