CBOT soybeans first rose and then fell, with the benchmark November contract closing at 1236 cents per bushel on Friday's night trading session. The ProFarmer Midwest crop tour yielded mixed results: soybean pod counts in Illinois came in above the three-year average, while those in western Iowa were close to average levels. This somewhat tempered concerns over earlier production losses and capped upside potential for CBOT soybeans. Meanwhile, USDA export data showed private exporters selling 150,000 tonnes of soybeans to unknown destinations, with strong export demand limiting the downside correction range. In the short term, CBOT soybeans are expected to maintain a range-bound pattern at elevated levels.