Investing.com - U.S. corn and soybean futures declined for the first time in three sessions on Wednesday, as investors locked in gains from a recent rally which took prices to one-month highs.
On the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, U.S. corn for December delivery traded at $3.5338 a bushel during U.S. morning hours, down 2.83 cents, or 0.79%.
A day earlier, futures surged to $3.5740, the most since September 8, before trimming gains to settle at $3.5700, up 11.0 cents, or 3.18%.
Prices of the grain rallied 6.8% in the two days leading up to Wednesday as a slowdown in the U.S. harvest due to rains in the Midwest supported prices.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Tuesday that nearly 24% of the U.S. corn harvest was completed as of October 12, up from 17% in the preceding week and below the five-year average of 43% for this time of year.
Meanwhile, U.S. soybeans for November delivery shed 4.37 cents, or 0.45%, to trade at $9.5963 a bushel.
Prices of the oilseed hit $9.7040 on Tuesday, the highest level since September 19, before ending at $9.6460, up 19.4 cents, or 2.06%.
The November soybean contract gained 4.5% over the past two days.
According to the USDA, approximately 40% of the U.S. soy harvest was completed as of last week, compared to 20% a week earlier and below the five-year average of 53% for this time of year.
Elsewhere on the CBOT, U.S. wheat for December delivery traded at $5.0588 a bushel, down 2.52 cents, or 0.5%.
A day earlier, wheat prices tacked on 4.0 cents, or 0.79%, to settle at $5.0920 a bushel.
Corn is the biggest U.S. crop, followed by soybeans, government figures show. Wheat was fourth, behind hay.