Soybean prices achieved their best weekly performance since April, influenced by demand and weather.

Chicago soybeans surged to their largest weekly gain since April, as signs of strong demand for U.S. supplies and concerns about hot weather in the region emerged. Vaisala meteorologist Donald Keeney wrote in a report that while rainfall in the southern Delta region of the U.S. should slightly improve soil moisture, there may be some pressure in the northern region later next week as warm weather accelerates water loss. Signs show strong demand for U.S. soybeans, with export sales for the week ending July 10 higher than expected. Futures prices rose 1.5% on Friday, marking the third consecutive day of gains and poised to achieve a 3.2% weekly increase. On Monday, soybean futures hit their lowest levels since early April after the U.S. Department of Agriculture raised its outlook for U.S. inventories.