CIF/FOB Gulf Grain-Soybean basis values rise as China books more cargoes

CHICAGO, July 31 (Reuters) - Basis bids for soybeans shipped by barge to U.S. Gulf Coast terminals climbed on Friday as Chinese buyers booked numerous new-crop cargoes and as futures prices eased, while corn basis bids were mostly steady to firm, traders said.

• Chinese government buyers purchased at least 14 cargoes of U.S. soybeans on Friday for shipment in October and November, including at least eight cargoes for shipment from Gulf Coast terminals, U.S. traders said. The sales were among the largest single-day purchases by China since the top soy importer resumed large-scale buying from the United States in late June.
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed private sales of 252,000 metric tons of U.S. soybeans for shipment to undisclosed buyers in the 2026/27 marketing year. It was the USDA's third daily soybean sales announcement this week.
• China's Sinograin sold about half of the 504,000 metric tons of imported soybeans on offer at an auction on Friday, the biggest since January, two traders told Reuters, as the state stockpiler seeks to make room for incoming U.S. cargoes.
• CIF soybean barges loaded in July were bid 2 cents higher at 121 cents over Chicago Board of Trade August soybean futures SQ26, while August barges were bid steady at 112 cents over the CBOT November contract SX26.
• FOB August soybean shipments from the Gulf were up 2 cents at 134 cents over August futures, while September loadings gained 2 cents to 125 cents over November futures.
• CIF corn barges loaded in July were bid a penny higher at 103 cents over CBOT September futures CU26. August corn barge bids were steady at 104 cents over futures.
• FOB export premiums for Gulf corn vessels loaded in August were steady, with first-half of August loadings offered at 118 cents and last-half August loadings offered at 120 cents over September futures.