CBOT soybeans close higher, though Brazil harvest weighs

March 20 (Reuters) - Chicago Board of Trade soybean futures seesawed amid harvest pressure from a bumper Brazilian crop but closed higher on Thursday as traders positioned ahead of a U.S. Department of Agriculture data release later in the month.

• CBOT May soybeans SK25 settled up 4-3/4 cents to $10.13 per bushel.

• CBOT May soymeal SMK25 ended down 60 cents to $297.10 per short ton and May soyoil BOK25 rose 0.35 cent to 42.71 cents per pound.

• The dollar index =USD rose further after the U.S. Federal Reserve indicated it was in no rush to cut rates further this year due to uncertainties around U.S. tariffs. FRX/ A stronger dollar makes U.S. commodities more expensive on the global market.

• Traders are also positioning ahead of the USDA's grain stocks and prospective planting reports on March 31, where the agency will release estimates for farmers' planting intentions in 2025.

• Ahead of an expected shift to Brazilian supplies, Chinese imports of U.S. soybeans jumped 84.1% in the first two months of 2025 compared with a year ago as concerns about tariffs led to a rush in shipments.

• The USDA reported net U.S. soybean sales last week at 352,600 metric tons for shipment in the 2024/25 marketing year, below trade estimates for 400,000 to 900,000 tons. EXP/SOY