CBOT corn lower on technical trading ahead of long weekend

CHICAGO, Sept. 4 (Reuters) - Chicago Board of Trade corn futures chopped up and down in positioning but ended lower on Friday ahead of the long Labor Day weekend and next week's U.S. Department of Agriculture report.

• Expectations for poor yields in the U.S. Corn Belt have kept a floor on corn futures.
• Corn is maturing rapidly in the Midwest crop belt and harvest is starting in some southern areas, analysts said.
• Strong export demand and concerns about lower U.S. corn yields continued to underpin the market.
• FranceAgriMer estimated that 27% of the drought-hit French maize crop was in good or excellent condition as of August 31, down from 28% a week earlier and the lowest in records dating to 2011.
• The most-active corn contract Cv1 settled 4 cents lower to $5.36-3/4 per bushel.