eCBOT Close/Early Call

eCBOT Futures posted reasonable gains Friday, but fell some way short of erasing Thursday night's steep losses.

Prices were buoyed by the intervention of the US Treasury and Federal Reserve in the financial markets in an attempt to shore up confidence following the collapse of Lehman Bros, the taleover of Merrill Lynch and bailout of AIG early in the week.

Corn closed around 8-10c firmer, with soybeans and wheat around 10-12c higher.

Crude is also benefitting from the news and is steady at $100.30/barrel.

Earliest calls for this afternoon's CBOT session are: Corn futures are expected to open 5 to 8 higher; soybeans 9 to 12 higher; wheat 8 to 12 higher.