Midwest commodity futures had a bearish but mild week relative to the volatility on Wall Street. Volume in general trended lower as the week progressed and while soymeal and lean hogs reversed last week’s gains, overall the downward slope has been shallowing out. This is especially true for December corn, which has taken nearly 30 trading sessions to lose a 25 cents, or less than 6 percent.
Perhaps there is some caution because USDA can sometimes spring surprises. Monday’s August WASDE report could be a market mover, assuming it doesn’t adjust corn and soybean acres plus yields in the ways that are expected. Big crops are expected and there is nothing in the weather forecast to deter that thought. Tropical...
What You Need to Know Today: Crude oil prices extended their rally today, supported by several developments, including escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabian oil infrastructure and growing concerns about supply disruptions. The Trump administration is reportedly preparing to remove 50 perc...
Key Takeaways: The agricultural trade surplus has become a sizable deficit: the balance swung from a $40.1 billion surplus in 2011 to a $40.7 billion deficit in 2025. Imports kept growing while exports lost momentum: between 2020 and 2025, agricultural imports increased 45 percent, compa...
USDA released its October Cattle on Feed report Friday, showing 11.4 million cattle in feedlots with capacity for 1,000 head or more, slightly below last year. September placements were the lowest for the month since records began in 1996, marking the third consecutive month of placements sett...
Regional News Dry weather across the UK and Europe is becoming increasingly concerning for the 2027 crops as planting intentions are lowered amid dry soil conditions. Delayed sowing or establishment under adverse conditions could leave crops more vulnerable to frost/freeze events and dise...