CHICAGO, July 14 (Reuters) - Basis bids for soybeans and corn shipped by barge to U.S. Gulf Coast terminals were steady to higher on Tuesday, as hot and dry conditions have investors closely tracking any impacts on the nation's corn crop, traders said.

• Much of the nation's corn crop pollinates in July, a critical phase for determining yields.

• Updated forecasts moderated some of the heat that had been expected next week, although the weather remains hot this week, with highs in the northwestern Midwest reaching 95 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit (35 to 38 degrees Celsius), the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a daily weather note.

• Chicago Board of Trade corn and soybean futures declined modestly on Tuesday on a surprise improvement in weekly U.S. crop condition ratings and slightly less-threatening forecasts for the Midwest crop belt, analysts said.

• Brazil's total grain crop is expected to reach 360.11 million metric tons in the 2025/26 season, national crop agency Conab said on Tuesday, raising its forecast from the 358.64 million tons projected in June. The new estimate, driven mainly by higher soybean and corn production, would mark a 2.2% increase from the previous season.

• Nearby empty freight barge rates firmed, with prices ticking up on the Illinois River and along parts of the Mississippi River, including at St. Louis, Missouri, traders said. US/BG

• Chicago Board of Trade fund traders were net sellers of corn and soyoil futures on Tuesday, and net buyers of soybeans, wheat and soymeal.

• CIF soybean barges loaded in July were bid at 106 cents over CBOT August soybean futures SQ26, while August barges were bid at 108 cents over futures — both steady from Monday. But offers for barge loadings in the fall ticked lower, traders said.

• FOB offers for August soybean shipments from the Gulf of Mexico were unchanged at 120 cents over CBOT August futures.

• CIF corn barges loaded in July were bid up 1 cent at 101 cents over CBOT July futures CN26. August corn barges were steady at 102 cents over September futures CU26. But offers for both eased, tightening the spread between bids and offers, traders said.

• FOB export premiums for Gulf corn vessels loaded in August were steady at 116 cents over September futures for loadings in the first half of the month, and 119 cents over futures for last-half loadings.

For displays of CIF basis, click on the codes in brackets:

U.S. CIF Gulf soybeans GRYM

U.S. CIF Gulf corn GRYN

U.S. CIF Gulf SRW wheat GRYO

U.S. CIF Gulf HRW wheat GRYP

For displays of FOB basis, please click on the following codes in brackets:

U.S. FOB Gulf corn GRZC

U.S. FOB Gulf soybeans GRZD

U.S. FOB Gulf SRW wheat GRZE

U.S. FOB Gulf HRW wheat GRZF

LINKS

Corn prices page: cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageid=corn-cash-market

Wheat prices page: cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageid=wheat-cash-market

U.S. barge freight BG/US

U.S. export sales estimates USDA/EST

U.S. grain export summary GRA/U

Brazil soybean export prices SYBS

Brazil corn export prices SYBX

Argentina grain prices GRA/ARG

Russia grain prices GRA/RU