US grains mostly lower Friday

Grain futures closed mostly lower in Chicago Friday, with the dollar index flat on the International Exchange and equities mixed on Wall Street. Corn was off 8 1/2 to off 9 1/2, soybeans were unchanged to off 9 1/2, wheat was off 3 1/2 to off 11 3/4 and oats were off 3/4 to off 3 1/2. Corn prices slipped as traders digested the Labor Department's employment numbers for September put pressure on prices. The country added 114,000 jobs in the month, which was seen as bearish. In addition, the unemployment rate dropped due to a large number of workers leaving the workforce. Wheat prices slipped after an up and down day in the wheat pit as traders waited for the government's revised inventory report that included this year's production estimate. Soybean prices moved lower with production estimates on the high end of expectations and signals that demand could go slack with the economy slowing in China. The prices: Corn: Dec 7.48 off 9, Mar 7.48 1/2 off 8 3/4, May 7.43 3/4 off 9 1/2, Jly 7.37 3/4 off 8 1/2. Soybeans: Nov 15.51 1/2 unchanged, Jan 15.51 unchanged, Mar 15.13 off 5 1/2, May 14.60 1/2 off 9 1/2. Wheat: Dec. 8.57 1/2 off 11 3/4, Mar 8.68 3/4 off 11, May 8.69 1/2 off 10 1/4, Jly 8.40 1/4 off 3 1/2. Oats: Dec 3.67 1/4 off 3 1/2, Mar 3.71 1/4 off 3 1/2, May 3.71 1/4 off 2 3/4, Jly 3.71 1/2 off 3/4.