Oct 2 (Reuters) - ICE (NYSE:ICE) Canada canola futures rose for a third straight session on Wednesday and touched a three-month high on fund short-covering and speculative buying amid worries over harvest delays and weather-related crop losses, traders said.
* Benchmark November canola futures RSX9 closed $3.50 higher at $455.70 per tonne after peaking at $456.40 per tonne, the highest since June 28. Buying accelerated as the actively traded contract rose above key technical levels, including its September and August highs and its 100-day moving average.
* Recent rain and snow in the Canadian prairies have increased concerns that unharvested canola could be damaged or lost. Warmer, drier weather is expected next week.
* Canola advanced despite a downturn in soybean prices, as Chicago Board of Trade soy futures retreated from the prior session's two-month high. CBOT November soybean futures SX9 settled 5-3/4 U.S. cents lower at US$9.13-3/4 a bushel.
* The Canadian dollar weakened against its U.S. counterpart on Wednesday, pulling back from a near three-week high set during the day. CAD/