GRAINS-Soybeans slide 2 percent on active U.S. harvest

* Soy falls as clear U.S. Midwest skies promotes harvest

* Egypt passes on U.S. wheat, pressures CBOT prices (Recasts, updates prices, market activity, new byline, dateline, previously SINGAPORE/PARIS)

CHICAGO, Nov 5 - U.S. soybeans slid 2 percent on Thursday as clear skies across the U.S. heartland promoted harvest, easing fears about the size of the American crop, and more supplies moved into marketing channels, traders said.

Corn futures were also weak but the biggest fall came in soybeans as farmers focused on harvesting beans, which are more prone to weather damage than corn.

"Weather is good into next week. There's active harvest and the yields are very good while exports are not good," said Paul Haugens, vice-president for Newedge USA.

Chicago Board of Trade soybeans for November delivery were down 18-1/4 cents, or 1.8 percent at $9.77-1/4 a bushel by midsession.

December corn was 2-1/2 cents weaker, or 0.7 percent at $3.81-1/2.

The government has forecast an all-time high U.S. soybean crop of 3.250 billion bushels this year. The corn crop is also expected to be a bin buster of 13.018 billion bushels -- the second largest ever, trailing only the 2007 harvest of 13.038 billion.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will update its forecast next Tuesday, and analysts hold mixed opinions about whether the agency will raise or lower its estimates given the slow harvest.

But a week of warm, dry weather well into next week is what farmers needed after persistent rains during October. The change will also help crops dry down.

The dollar's bounce up added to the bearish tone in grains. A firmer dollar boosts the price of U.S. grain exports to overseas buyers and also prompts investors to sell.

"The harvest weather and the U.S. dollar are the overriding influences," said Garry Booth, a trader with MF Global Australia. "The U.S. dollar is firm and we have seen Chicago prices down a little."

The dollar fell on Wednesday as Federal Reserve policy makers decided to keep interest rates low for an extended period.

The weakness in corn and soybeans spilled over to wheat. Lackluster demand for pricey American wheat looms over the market. More reminders surfaced on Thursday when Egypt's main government wheat buyer passed on U.S. wheat, buying 120,000 tonnes of French and Russian wheat in a snap tender.

"We're just not competitive," said analyst Vic Lespinasse with GrainAnalyst.com adding "export sales weren't very good for anything in today's report."

Chicago December wheat was down 4-1/2 cents, or 0.9 percent at $5.16-1/2.

USDA weekly export sales data issued early Thursday showed wheat sales below trade expectations while corn sales were above estimates and soybeans were in line with the trade. U.S. soybean export shipments were huge, with the world's top soy buyer China, taking more than 1.0 million tonnes.