CHICAGO, May 26 (Reuters) - U.S. soybean futures surged to a three-month high on Thursday as forecasts for more rain in the northern U.S. Plains raised prospects of further planting delays in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota, traders said. * Strength in crude oil futures -- stemming from signs of tight supply ahead of the U.S. summer driving season -- added support to the soy complex. * The benchmark Chicago Board of Trade July soybean futures contract gained 45-1/2 cents to settle at $17.26-1/2 a bushel. * The contract peaked at $17.37, the highest for the most-active contract on a continuous basis since Feb. 24. * Technical support for the contract was noted at its 30-day moving average for the second day in a row. The contract then broke through resistance at its 10-day moving average. It also topped the high end of its 20-day Bollinger range but failed to hold support above that point. * CBOT July soymeal was up $4.00 at $428.20 a ton and CBOT July soyoil gained 1.6 cents to 80.52 cents per lb. * The U.S. Agriculture Department on Thursday morning said that weekly soybean export sales totaled 719,900 tonnes, down from 902,189 tonnes the prior week but in line with market forecasts for 300,000 to 1.4 million tonnes. * Soymeal export sales of 183,800 tonnes and soyoil export sales of 6,200 tonnes also were both in line with trade estimates. (Reporting by Mark Weinraub; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
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