CBOT soybeans fall on profit-taking, favourable Midwest crop weather

CHICAGO, June 20 (Reuters) - Chicago Board of Trade soybean futures fell for the first time in five sessions on Friday, pressured by profit-taking after hitting a 5-1/2 week peak and as favorable weather aided the developing Midwest crop.

• CBOT July soybeans SN25 settled down 6-3/4 cents at $10.68 per bushel, easing after touching its highest point since May 14. The contract was down 0.2% for the week, its first weekly drop in three weeks.

• New-crop November soybeans SX25 ended down 7-1/2 cents at $10.60-3/4.

• CBOT July soyoil BON25 ended down 0.30 cent at 54.47 cents per pound and July soymeal SMN25 settled down 80 cents at $284.10 per short ton.

• Midwest rains boosted soil moisture reserves this week ahead of a weekend heat wave and periods of additional rain over the next two weeks, forecasters said.

• Drought eased in soybean areas over the past week, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor data. As of June 17, 35% of U.S. soybeans were under abnormally dry conditions, down from 39% a week earlier and 47% a month ago.

• The U.S. Department of Agriculture said net old-crop U.S. soybean export sales in the week ended June 12 totaled 539,500 metric tons, while new-crop sales reached 75,200 tons, both in line with trade estimates. Total sales were the highest in five weeks, USDA data showed.

• China's soybean imports from Brazil surged 37.5% in May from a year earlier, General Administration of Customs data showed on Friday, as buyers scooped up South America's bumper crop, while supplies from the United States also rose 28.3%.