CBOT soybean futures closed higher, as signs of robust domestic demand and a sharp rally in soybean oil futures outweighed pressure from the approaching harvest of Brazil's soybean crop. The National Oilseed Processors Association (NOPA) monthly crush report showed that U.S. soybean crushing in December 2025 surged to the second-highest monthly level on record, while soybean oil stocks expanded to a 19-month high. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) export sales report released on Thursday showed that for the week ending January 8, net soybean export sales for the current marketing year reached 2.0619 million tons, up 135% from the previous week and 54% above the prior four-week average. Market expectations had ranged from 0.8 to 1.8 million tons. Among these, net sales to mainland China amounted to 1.2241 million tons. According to a report from agribusiness consultancy Agroconsult, Brazil's soybean production for the 2025/26 marketing year is projected to reach a record 182.2 m