By Andrew Johnson Jr
 
   Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
 
 
   CHICAGO (Dow Jones)--Chicago Board of Trade soybean futures ended mixed
 Friday, after chopping around from a firm start as the market consolidated
 heading into an extended holiday weekend.
 
   September soybeans settled 1/2 cent lower at $13.32 and November soybeans
 ended unchanged at $13.24.
 
   December soymeal settled $0.80 lower at $358.00 per short ton. December
 soyoil finished 12 points higher at 54.20 cents per pound.
 
   Pre-weekend and month-end position squaring took center stage against a
 backdrop of uncertainties of Midwest weather and near-term exports while the
 potential impact of Tropical Storm Gustav promoted cautious activity, said Jack
 Scoville, analyst with Price Futures Group in Chicago.
 
   Futures initially spiked higher on early gains in crude oil and weakness in
 the U.S. dollar, but as the session unfolded a reversal in those outside
 markets and the sensitivity of soybeans to weather attracted sellers, as
 traders reduced risk heading into the weekend, analysts added.
 
   The potential impact of Gustav could be two-fold, as the storm could stymie
 U.S. exports from the Gulf, but could provide good finishing rains for soy
 crops if remnants of the storm push rain into Midwest crop areas, Scoville
 said. "That uncertainty was enough to promote caution ahead of the holiday
 weekend," he added.
 
   Meanwhile, there are many different forecasts flying around in the weather
 community right now regarding the rain potential in the Midwest late next week
 from the remnants of Tropical Storm Gustav, Cropcast Weather Services said.
 
   Cropcast's 6- to 10-day forecast turned wetter Friday in the western Midwest,
 as both the GFS and European weather models have suggested a fairly wet pattern
 in the west. However, any shift in Gustav's landfall to the east - closer to
 Mobile Bay - could quickly reduce this rain potential for the Midwest, Cropcast
 said. There are still plenty more questions than answers regarding this
 forecast, Cropcast added.
 
   In pit trades, speculative fund buying was estimated at 2,000 contracts.
 
 
   SOY PRODUCTS
 
 
   Soy product futures ended mixed, with soyoil gaining product share on the
 unwinding of meal/oil spreads, technical buying and overnight strength in Asian
 vegoil markets. Soymeal experienced two-sided action, succumbing to late
 selling pressure on month-end position-evening, spillover from soybeans and
 weakness on spreads, traders said.
 
   December oil share ended at 43.08% and the November/December crush ended at
 59 3/4 cents.
 
   Speculative fund buying was estimated at 1,000 lots in soyoil.