Corn, wheat slide after peaceful Crimea vote

CHICAGO, Mar 18 (Xinhua) : Chicago agricultural commodity futures were traded mixed yesterday, with corn and wheat prices falling on signs that Ukraine's grain trade would remain unaffected following a peaceful Crimea vote.

The most active corn contract for May delivery fell 7 US  cents, or 1.44 per cent, to settle at 4.79 dollars per bushel. May wheat lost 12.75 cents, or 1.86 per cent, to 6.745 dollars per bushel. May soybeans rose 3.25 cents, or 0.23 per cent, to 13.9175 dollars per bushel.

Crimea on Sunday voted overwhelmingly to secede from Ukraine and join Russia in a peaceful referendum which has drawn tame sanctions from the West. The development has allayed concerns that the standoff could escalate and disrupt grain supply of Ukraine, driving down corn and wheat prices, market analysts said.