Agricultural commodities rose to multi-year highs yesterday following crude oil's surge to $100 a barrel as traders anticipated higher demand from the expanding global biofuels industry.

In Chicago, soyabeans jumped 19 cents to $12.51½ a 34-year high. Corn traded up 3½ cents at $4.66 a bushel, within touching distance of its recent 11-year high, while wheat prices jumped 30 cents to $9.45 a bushel, just below its recent all-time high.