CBOT corn futures fall as dollar rises

CHICAGO, March 20 (Reuters) - Chicago Board of Trade corn futures eased on Friday as the dollar found strength.

• The dollar gained ground as investors pared their bets on U.S. Federal Reserve rate cuts, given the probability of rising inflation triggered by higher energy prices.

• A stronger dollar tends to make U.S. exports more expensive, rendering them less competitive in global markets.

• Oil prices rose after choppy trading, as the three-week Iran war showed no signs of abating and the U.S. prepared to send thousands of additional troops to the Middle East in the coming weeks.

• The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported net weekly U.S. corn export sales for 2025/26 for the week ended on March 12 at 1,183,816 metric tons, within the range of analyst estimates.

• CBOT May corn CK26 settled down 4-1/4 cents at $4.65-1/2 per bushel. For the week, it fell 0.4%.