Merchandisers were content to let cash bids for corn and wheat follow the downward path set by the futures markets in pre-report day trade, with soybeans holding steady.

The DTN cash corn index lost 6 cents, to $3.31, with basis holding firm. Late talk seemed to focus on ideas that USDA might raise its estimates of the size of the South American corn crop, while some were discounting expectations that the department could make any very big changes in the '09 corn crop in the U.S., since the re-survey of the unharvested acres in the Dakotas won't happen until some later date.

The wheat indexes were off 4 to 5 cents, with basis narrowly mixed, and the soybean index held steady at $8.99, also on a firm basis.

Merchandisers and producers may be glad to get the fuss over the reports out of the way Wednesday morning, with the focus definitely shifting to planting intentions. Calls for the opening of the day session Wednesday will of course be subject to those report numbers, due at 7:30 CT.