Technical buying, short covering lift CBOT wheat to July high

CHICAGO, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Technical buying and short covering pushed Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures Wv1 to their highest level since July on Tuesday, analysts said.

• In the U.S. farm belt, 45% of the winter wheat crop was in good or excellent condition as of Sunday, down from 49% a year earlier, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Monday.

• The rating was lower than expected, one analyst said.

• Globally, wheat supplies remain plentiful.

• The USDA confirmed that China bought U.S. soybeans following a bilateral trade truce. Some traders wondered whether China may also buy U.S. wheat.

• CBOT December soft red winter wheat WZ25 closed up 2-1/4 cents at $5.46-1/2 per bushel.

• K.C. December hard red winter wheat KWZ25 ended down 2-1/2 cents at $5.26-1/4 a bushel, and Minneapolis December spring wheat MWEZ25 was last up 9 cents at $5.82-3/4 a bushel.