BEIJING - Chicago soybean futures came under pressure on Friday from weaker crude oil ​and a firmer dollar, ⁠but remained on course for a second weekly gain as hot U.S. weather raised ‌crop concerns, and traders watched for signs of renewed Chinese demand.

The most-active soybean contract on the Chicago Board ​of Trade (CBOT) was down 0.61% at $11.50 a bushel, as of 0442 GMT.

Crude prices sank 2% on Friday and were ​headed for ​steep weekly losses amid easing supply concerns as more stranded oil tankers exited the Strait of Hormuz.

The decline in energy prices weighed on soybeans and corn, both of which ⁠are used as feedstocks for biofuels.

A stronger dollar put pressure on grain and oilseed markets by making U.S. supplies less competitive with overseas buyers.

Meanwhile, the U.S. National Weather Service forecast temperatures nearing 100 degrees Fahrenheit this weekend, reaching as far north as the upper Midwest and as ​far east as the ‌Carolinas.

Above-normal temperatures are ⁠expected to persist ⁠from the Plains to the Atlantic Coast through July 4, raising concerns about potential stress on crops.

Market participants ​are also watching closely for signs of large-scale soybean purchases by China, ‌which could provide additional price support.

Wheat fell 0.87% to $5.96-1/4 per ⁠bushel and was on track for a weekly loss, while corn slipped 0.11% to $4.42-1/2 per bushel.

" prices have found substantial support through 2026 on the deteriorating US winter wheat crop condition," BMI, a unit of Fitch Solutions, said in a report.

"However, recent price action has seen some of that support unwind as near-term physical supply prospects improve with the advancing US harvest."

BMI said wheat prices should remain underpinned by a tightening global supply-demand balance, while weather risks linked to El Niño could continue to pose upside risks to production and prices. On the global ‌front, Brazil's Agroconsult on Thursday raised its estimate for the country's ⁠2025/26 key second-corn crop by 3.4%, though the forecast remained below ​the previous season's record harvest after adverse weather curbed potential. Separately, the European Commission lowered its forecast for European Union usable soft wheat production in the 2026/27 season to 126.3 million metric tons from 126.9 ​million tons projected ‌a month earlier.

Commodity funds were net buyers of CBOT corn, soy ⁠and wheat futures, traders said on Thursday.