CBOT corn lower on spillover weakness, harvest pressure

Chicago Board of Trade corn futures followed wheat lower on Friday, with harvest pressure from the U.S. Midwest also adding downward momentum to futures.

• CBOT December corn (CZ25) settled 5-1/4 cents lower at $4.13 per bushel.

• In France, farmers had harvested 37% of the country's grain maize crop by October 6, up from 24% a week earlier, farm office FranceAgriMer said.

• The government shutdown has also forced the Trump administration to delay planned aid for farmers affected by the loss of soybean export sales to China.

• Corn had drawn some support earlier in the week from reports of U.S. harvest yields below the most recent U.S. Department of Agriculture forecast.

• But with the USDA's latest monthly forecast postponed due to a partial government shutdown, traders were cautious about interpreting harvest reports.

• Broadly favorable weather for Midwest harvesting and beneficial rain for planting in Brazil also curbed the markets.