CBOT corn ends lower, holding near a six-week low

CHICAGO, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Chicago Board of Trade corn futures ended lower on Friday, holding near a six-week low, as the recent US Department of Agriculture estimate of US corn stocks continued to weigh on the market, traders said.

• Forecasts for improving weather in the US Midwest that should promote harvest activity after a rainy week also pressured prices, market analysts said.

• CBOT December corn settled down 4-1/2 cents at $4.97-3/4 a bushel.

• Commodity brokerage StoneX on Thursday lowered its estimate of the average US 2026 corn yield to 182.1 bushels per acre (bpa) from 182.9 in its previous monthly report released on September 8.

• The StoneX figures are above the USDA's current national yield estimates of 178.5 bpa for corn.

• USDA on Friday confirmed private sales of 218,600 metric tons of US corn to Mexico.

• Spot basis bids for corn were mixed in the US Midwest on Friday, with values weakening at two corn-processing facilities as forecasts called for drier weather that could favor harvest activity.