Cash basis bids for hard red winter (HRW) wheat in the southern US Plains on Thursday were steady as farmers eyed higher futures prices in quiet pre-holiday activity, said merchants. The weaker dollar, which makes US grain more attractive to foreign buyers, helped lift Chicago Board of Trade K.C. wheat.

Wheat futures traders await the results of an international wheat purchase tender from Egypt's state buyer GASC. No US wheat was offered. US Department of Agriculture's US grain exports report will be delayed until Friday due to last Monday's Christmas holiday. Dry conditions remained a concern for dormant winter wheat in some areas. http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/Premiums for wheat shipped to and through Kansas City on Wednesday were unchanged.

Copyright Reuters, 2017