1.   Differing ideas on damage from the recent freeze in wheat regions continued to boost prices, as did slow spring wheat plantings.

2.   Flooding or the threat of floods in the northern Plains also could cut wheat plantings, traders said.

3.   Floods in North Dakota and Minnesota likely will cut spring wheat plantings, in favor of soybeans, which can be planted later.

4.   The government is expected to report next week that U.S. farmers in the autumn raised their wheat plantings from a year earlier as favorable markets encouraged a large crop.

5.   A private estimate that spring wheat plantings would rise weighed on prices.

6.   Farmers have been cutting back on wheat plantings for several years and switching to more lucrative crops such as soybeans.

7.   Investors continued to closely watch new-crop conditions and delayed spring wheat plantings.

8.   Market-watchers said investors were concerned about more rain forecast this weekend for the northern Plains, which would delay spring wheat plantings.

9.   Spring wheat plantings, particularly in South Dakota and Minnesota, continued to run well behind schedule.