CBOT wheat rises as weaker dollar boosts export competitiveness

CHICAGO, Sept 16 (Reuters) - Benchmark Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures hit their highest in more than two weeks on Tuesday, buoyed by a weaker dollar, which tends to make U.S. grains more competitive globally, and signs of export demand for U.S. supplies.

• Most-active CBOT December soft red winter wheat WZ25 settled up 9 cents at $5.34 per bushel, rising for a fourth straight session after falling to a contract low last week.

• The December contract hit a session high of $5.34-1/2, its highest since August 29, near the close of trade.

• K.C. December hard red winter wheat KWZ25 ended up 9-1/2 cents at $5.23-1/2 a bushel and Minneapolis December spring wheat MWEZ25 rose 4-3/4 cents to finish at $5.76-1/2 a bushel.

• The dollar fell across the board as investors anticipated the U.S. Federal Reserve will kick off a series of interest rate cuts on Wednesday. FRX/

• Flour millers in Asia have ramped up imports of U.S. wheat in recent weeks, driven by competitive prices from American suppliers and delays in shipments from the Black Sea, according to grain traders at an international conference.

• Commodity funds hold a net short position in CBOT wheat futures, leaving the market vulnerable to bouts of short-covering.

• Euronext wheat rose, supported by a rally in U.S. wheat futures and hopes that a hike in Russia's export tax will ease competition.

• France's farm ministry raised its estimate of this year's soft wheat harvest to 33.3 million metric tons, from 33.1 million projected last month and now 29.8% above 2024.

• The European Union should raise its floor price for cereals to 170 euros ($200.72) per metric ton, after leaving it unchanged for 25 years at around 101 euros, to help loss-making grain growers, French wheat farmers group AGPB said.