Special Report: Global Financial Crisis

    CHICAGO, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Soybean futures in Chicago Board of Trade ended lower Wednesday for the 6th trading day on speculation that rainfall in next few days will ease Argentine crops areas threatened by drought. Corn kept unchanged and wheat went down slightly.

    Corn future for March delivery finished flat at 3.4925 U.S. dollars a bushel. March soybean dropped 15.5 cents to 8.875 dollars per bushel and March wheat was down 4.75 cents, settled on5.1075 dollars per bushel.

    In the past 6 trading days, soy has lost 1.145 dollars, or 11.4 percent and touched a new 8-week low since the end of last December.

    Bearish pressure to CBOT grain futures came from continuing market sentiment over the growing global economic slowdown and U.S. recession and improved soy crop weather conditions in Argentina.

    The weather forecast remains wet for Argentina from Thursday night through Saturday with widespread coverage expected.

    A higher U.S. dollar index added pressure to the grains. Strong dollar means a higher U.S. grain's price, weakening its competitive power in international market.

    Weather forecast indicates more rain is needed in the wheat crop areas in the U.S. Plains, giving some bullish support to wheat.