CBOT wheat ends lower in choppy session ahead of USDA data

CHICAGO, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures closed fractionally lower on Monday in choppy trade as brokers adjusted positions a day ahead of U.S. wheat production and quarterly stocks reports due from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

• CBOT December soft red winter wheat WZ25 settled down 1/4 cent at $5.19-1/2 per bushel.

• K.C. December hard red winter wheat KWZ25 ended up 2-3/4 cents at $4.08-1/4 a bushel and Minneapolis December spring wheat MWEZ25 rose 1-1/2 cents to finish at $5.69-1/4 a bushel.

• Ahead of Tuesday's USDA small grains report, analysts surveyed by Reuters on average expected the government to trim its estimate of U.S. 2025 wheat production to 1.925 billion bushels, from 1.927 billion previously.

• For the USDA's quarterly stocks report, analysts surveyed by Reuters on average expected the agency to report U.S. September 1 wheat stocks at 2.043 billion bushels, a five-year high.

• Ahead of the USDA's weekly crop progress report due later on Monday, analysts surveyed by Reuters on average expected the government to report the U.S. winter wheat crop for harvest in 2026 was 35% planted, up from 20% a week earlier.

• The USDA reported export inspections of U.S. wheat in the latest week at 738,604 metric tons, in line with trade expectations for 500,000 to 800,000 tons. USDA/I

• Russian wheat export prices rose for a second week in a row, responding to increased demand from importers while shipments accelerated, analysts said.