Winnipeg, MB, Dec. 19, 2014

ICE Futures Canada canola contracts ended mixed to lower on Friday, after a day of pre-weekend and pre-holiday choppy activity.

The market remained in a narrow range throughout the day, lacking any big drivers, according to analysts.

Values were also consolidating as the market seems to have reached the top end of its range, brokers added.

Some of the softness was linked to spillover pressure from the declines seen in Chicago soybean and soyoil futures.

However, end user demand remains steady for Canadian canola, which was supportive, as was the downswing in the value of the Canadian dollar.

Further support came from a general lack of farmer selling, as they wait for the new tax year.

About 20,770 contracts changed hands on Friday, which compares with Thursday when 31,739 contracts traded. Spreading was a feature of the activity, accounting for 15,146 of the trades.

Milling wheat, durum and barley were all untraded and unchanged.

Settlement prices are in Canadian dollars per metric ton.

                          Price      Change
Canola            Jan     442.40    up  0.30
                  Mar     437.10    dn  0.50
                  May     436.10    dn  0.80
Milling Wheat     Mar     244.00      unch
                  May     246.00      unch
Durum             Mar     357.50      unch
                  May     357.50      unch
Barley            Mar     177.00      unch
                  May     179.00      unch

Months        Prices                      Volume
Canola
Jan/Mar       3.80 over to 6.00 over       4,764
Jan/May       5.00 over to 6.50 over         310
Jan/Jul       4.20 over                        1
Mar/May       0.20 over to 1.00 over       1,226
Mar/Jul       0.90 over to 1.40 over          84
Mar/Nov       5.80 over                       15
May/Jul       1.20 under to 0.60 over        733
May/Nov       4.20 over                        1
Jul/Nov       5.10 over to 7.40 over         419
Jul/Jan       5.80 over                        5
Nov/Jan       2.50 under to 1.10 under        15

Commodity News Service Canada