US Plains HRW Wheat-Basis unchanged in slow trade

CHICAGO, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Basis bids for hard red winter wheat were flat in U.S. Plains states on Friday in a slow trade as market players eyed crop conditions and awaited key crop reports that will be released on Monday.

• Market players await several key crop reports due from the USDA on Monday, including the government's first estimate of how much U.S. winter wheat was planted for harvest in 2026. GRA/

• The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Thursday rated 60% of the Kansas winter wheat crop in good-to-excellent condition, down from 62% in late November. Wheat ratings also declined during December in Colorado, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas, but improved in Montana.

• About 42% of the winter wheat crop nationally was in an area experiencing drought, the USDA reported, up from 40% the week prior.

• K.C. HRW wheat futures March contract KWH26 settled unchanged at $5.30-1/4 per bushel.

Basis values are quoted against futures in cts/bu:

NOTES:

H = March, K = May, N = July, U = September

Z = December; UNQ = Unquoted bids

0 = Sp Option price; NC = No comparison

= No. 1 12% hard winter wheat, rail bids

= Ordinary protein, rail bids

LINKS:

K.C. HRW wheat protein scales KCBT/SCA

U.S. weekly wheat crop progress US/WHE

U.S. forward basis WHEAT/BASIS

U.S. Midwest cash grain PM GRA/PM

U.S. FOB Gulf Grain GRA/F