CBOT soybean futures posted modest gains on Friday, with the benchmark March contract rising 0.5% to settle at 1,057.75 cents per bushel. The increase was primarily supported by robust U.S. domestic crush data and strength in neighboring corn and wheat markets. The National Oilseed Processors Association (NOPA) reported that December soybean crush reached 224.994 million bushels, the second-highest level on record, providing fundamental support. However, the upcoming record harvest in Brazil, which is set to dominate global export markets in the coming months, capped the upside for U.S. soybean prices. Analysts such as Safras & Mercado have continued to raise their Brazilian production forecasts, reinforcing expectations of a bumper crop. In the near term, the market will focus on follow-up Chinese purchases of U.S. soybeans, while the medium-term attention will shift to Brazil's harvest progress and the impact of South American weather on final yields.