CORN: Corn futures worked strongly higher today. Mar finished 7-1/4 higher at 6.41-3/4The trading range was wide between 6.31 and 6.42-1/4. Volume was heavy. Dec settled 5 higher at 5.71. Open interest rose by 10,312 contracts. The corn market advanced on the drop in the dollar index and gains in outside markets. Cash basis levels have been as high as 24 over at the Gulf in recent days. Click here to access latest futures quotations.

SOYBEANS: Soybean futures worked narrowly lower today. Mar finished 3-3/4 lower at 12.19. Sep was down 1-1/2 at 12.28-1/4. The week's high for the spot month was set Thursday at 12.31. Soybean prices were weaker due to stock market losses and declines in soy products. Rain was predicted for Brazil, which may help late soybean fields in the north. Rain is excessive in small areas in southern Brazil.Soybean oil closed 0.35 to 0.37 lower with Mar at 51.59. with Mar at 322.20. Click here for current soybean futures prices.

WHEAT: Wheat futures moved lower today. Mar finished 6-1/4 lower at 6.47-1/4. The market gave up yesterday's advance. The close was near the session low. May was down 5 at 6.61-3/4. Wheat futures eased despite some pressure on the dollar.KCBT Mar wheat ended 9 lower at 7.00. Minneapolis Mar closed 1 lower at 8.26-1/4. Click here for latest Chicago futures.

CATTLE: Live cattle futures for Feb finished 0.20 higher at 124.75. The day's trading range was between 124.35 and 124.92. Aug was up 0.33 at 129.05. For the week Feb is up 0.03. Cattle futures have traded mixed as the USDA cattle inventory report was awaited.Estimated cattle slaughter for the day was 113,000 vs 123,000 for the same year-ago date. Year-to-date cattle slaughter is 2.44 million head vs 2.56 million to the year-earlier date.Feeder cattle for Mar closed 0.97 higher at 154.60 with the day's range of 153.43 to 154.90. Aug was 0.80 higher at 158.90. For the week Mar is up 0.65. Click here for CME live cattle futures prices or here for feeder cattle prices.

HOGS: Lean hog futures for Feb ended 0.55 higher at 86.50. Jun was 0.57 higher, closing at 97.42. For the week Feb is down 0.03. Estimated daily hog kill was 407,000, same as year-ago. Cumulative year-to-date slaughter is 8.67 million vs 8.65 million to the same year-ago date.The lean hog index was higher as Feb/12 expiry approaches. Click here for latest lean hog futures prices.

WEEKLY CHANGE: Percentage change in futures prices for the week, average of all traded months: corn up 3.10%; Chicago wheat up 3.24%; Minneapolis wheat up 2.71%; KCBT wheat up 3.48%; soybeans up 0.42%; soy oil up 0.33%; soy meal up 0.55%; Chicago live cattle up 0.37%; feeder cattle up 1.43%; lean hogs down 0.32%. Open interest changes for the week: Chicago wheat up 6,013 to 463,172 contracts; corn up 10,243 to 1,221,912; soybeans down 1,241 to 478,936.

OUTSIDE MARKETS: The US dollar index was at 78.98 today, down 0.53. The dollar weakened against the euro and yen. Stock markets were mixed in late trade with the DJIA off 74 at 12660, S&P 500 down 2 at 1316 and NASDAQ up 11 at 2816. Crude oil closed at $ 99.69, down 0.01. Precious metals were mostly higher with gold closing at $1,737, 10.40 higher. For the week the dollar index is down 0.91 and the Dow is down 48.