Special Report: Global Financial Crisis

    CHICAGO, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Grain futures in Chicago Board of Trade were mixed on Thursday as investors took profits ahead of long weekend after the U.S. Department of Agriculture released the supply and demand report.

    Corn future for May delivery lost 6.75 cent, closing at 3.9025 U. S. dollars a bushel. May soybean gained 1 cent to 10.07 dollars per bushel. May wheat was down 10 cents, settled on 5.22 dollars per bushel.

    The USDA released its supply and demand report for April, in which the data had different effects on corn, soy and wheat. According the report, the USDA pegged 2008/09 U.S. ending corn stocks at 1.7 billion bushels which was 15-20 million below trader' s expectations.

    Soybean ending stocks were lowered to 165 million bushels from 185 million last month, close to trader's expectations and touching the lowest level since 2003/04. Wheat ending stocks were lowered to 696 million bushels versus 712 million last month, but world ending stocks were raised again to 158.10 versus 155.85 last month.

    Because of the Good Friday holiday, Thursday is the last trading day of the week. Traders indicated that the grain market has had a good gain since the beginning of March and so investors opted to take profits after the USDA's April report was released and stand aside for the 3-day holiday weekend, putting some pressure on grains.