Soybean prices ended the week without direction due to lower demand.

The soybean market in Chicago ended the week without a clear direction, amid expectations of increased international purchases that did not materialize. According to TF Agroeconômica, the movement began with some optimism about Chinese demand, but the actual pace fell short of expectations and limited the reaction of prices. The contracts ended the day with moderate variations. January advanced 0.22%, to 1125.00 cents per bushel, while March rose by the same proportion, to 1134.50. In the processing segment, meal for December registered an increase of 0.35%, reaching 315.1 dollars per short ton. Oil, on the other hand, declined 0.79% and closed at 50.26 cents per pound. The consultancy points out that the mixed behavior reflected frustration with Chinese demand, which showed some reinforcement in recent days, but concentrated on state-owned enterprises. Private companies maintained a preference for Brazilian grain, considered more competitive, while China's local stocks remain ...