Chicago corn rose slightly while wheat and soybean fell on the final trading day of 2012.

The most active corn contract for March delivery rose 4.25 cents, or 0.61 percent, to close at 6.9825 dollars per bushel. March wheat lost 0.75 cents, or 0.1 percent, to settle at 7.78 dollars per bushel. March soybeans fell 8.5 cents, or 0.6 percent, to close at 14.095 dollars per bushel.

Week-on-week ethanol production increase supported corn to be the sole crop reporting price increase among the three major agricultural commodities on the final trading day of 2012.

Besides, the Hogs and Pigs Report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) showed all hogs and pigs inventory at slightly higher levels than previous estimates, which is considered supportive to corn market in a long term.

Weak export demand and thin tender dampened wheat market. Nevertheless, some market analysts believe that the export demand has turned the corner and will pose a long-term support to wheat futures.

Soybean market is a balanced effect of two different forces.

Speculative profit taking prevailed soybean market on the final trading day of 2012, which was only offset later by the supportive buying on corn and wheat markets.

Meanwhile, the USDA announced Monday that the U.S. exporters sold 140,000 tons of US soybeans to an unknown destination for the 2012/13 marketing year. Robust demand for US soybeans supported soybean market, but the support was somehow dragged down by favorable weather forecast for most areas in South America. Endi

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