CBOT corn closes higher for third consecutive session

CHICAGO, July 16 (Reuters) - Chicago Board of Trade corn futures finished stronger for the third consecutive session on Wednesday on short covering and technical buying, traders said.

• The market bounced after setting contract lows on Monday.

• Traders were monitoring U.S. weather forecasts for signs conditions may turn too hot or wet for crops. Beneficial weather has been fueling expectations for large autumn harvests.

• Higher temperatures are expected in the southern Corn Belt during the last two weeks of July, with minor heat stress possible in Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois, weather forecaster Vaisala said. Overall July weather is still expected to be generally favorable for corn, the firm said.

• The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Thursday is expected to report weekly U.S. corn export sales of 500,000 to 1.2 million metric tons for 2024-25 and 400,000 to 900,000 metric tons for 2025-26, analysts said in a Reuters poll.

• Traders monitored U.S. President Donald Trump's comments that he is not planning to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.

• New-crop CBOT December corn CZ25 ended up 4-1/4 cents stronger at $4.24 a bushel.