CBOT corn ticks lower amid war uncertainty
March 26 (Reuters) - Chicago Board of Trade corn futures ended slightly lower amid mixed signals from the U.S. and Iran, while market players awaited U.S. planting data that will be released next Tuesday.
Grains and oilseed prices have broadly tracked fluctuations in crude oil during the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, underscoring the role of corn and soyoil in biofuels and investors' interest in these crops as an inflation hedge.
Ethanol production for the week ended March 20 was 1.12 million barrels per day, up 23,000 barrels per day from the previous week, according to the Energy Information Administration.
U.S. Department of Agriculture reported net weekly U.S. corn export sales - for the current and next marketing years - at 1,352,827 metric tons for the week ended on March 19, in line with analysts' estimates.
CBOT March corn CH26 settled 1/4 cent lower at $4.67 per bushel.
