CBOT wheat hits one-week high on worries over dry US crop weather

CHICAGO, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures touched a one-week high on Wednesday as dry weather in the U.S. Plains raised concerns about the condition of crops, analysts said.

• Dryness was expected to persist in the Plains in February and March, weather forecaster Vaisala said.

• Condition ratings for winter wheat declined during December in Kansas, the top U.S. winter wheat producer, and in several other Plains states, according to data released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Tuesday.

• The USDA on January 12 is slated to issue estimates on U.S. winter wheat plantings.

• On Thursday, the agency is expected to report 2025-26 U.S. wheat export sales of 200,000 to 500,000 metric tons for the week that ended on January 1, according to a Reuters poll of analysts. They estimated weekly sales were zero to 100,000 metric tons for 2026-27 delivery.

• CBOT March soft red winter wheat WH26 closed 7-1/2 cents higher at $5.18 per bushel and touched its highest price since December 29.

• K.C. March hard red winter wheat KWH26 ended 10 cents higher at $5.31-1/2 per bushel, and Minneapolis March spring wheat MWEH26 was up 3-1/4 cents at $5.70-1/2 per bushel at the close of trading.