CBOT wheat edges higher on short covering after 5-year lows

CHICAGO, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures ended firm on Wednesday on short covering after the market fell to five-year lows earlier in the day under pressure from ample global supplies.

• CBOT September soft red winter wheat WU25 hit a contract low of $5.02-1/4 a bushel but settled 2-1/4 cents higher at $5.07-1/4 a bushel.

• K.C. September hard red winter wheat KWU25 last traded 4-1/4 cents lower at $5.06-1/2 a bushel.

• Minneapolis September spring wheat MWEU25 last traded 3/4 cent lower at $5.76-1/2 a bushel.

• The U.S. Department of Agriculture is due to release weekly export sales data early on Thursday. Analysts polled by Reuters expect net sales in the week ended August 7 at 400,000 to 850,000 metric tons.

• Top wheat exporter Russia has harvested nearly 75 million tons of grain from almost half of its planted area, the Agriculture Ministry said. "The progress of the harvesting campaign gives reason to expect a decent harvest, which will fully meet domestic demand and maintain high export potential", the ministry said.

• French farmers are wrapping up their wheat harvest, with the volume expected to rebound sharply from last year.