MarketsFarm — While the Prairies have so far this month experienced rather non-January-like temperatures, a cold front coming south from the Arctic will soon descend on the region, according to Scott Kehler, president and chief scientist of Weatherlogics in Winnipeg. “What we are seeing is a big change in the weather pattern. For most of […] Read more
Prairies’ warmer spell to be usurped by arctic front
Klassen: Feeder market’s upward trend continues
Manitoba, Saskatchewan see limited gains
Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $2-$3/cwt higher on average. Southern Alberta appeared to lead Western Canada. Prices in the Lethbridge area were up $8/cwt to as much as $15/cwt from week-ago levels. Major operations have liquidated a significant amount fed cattle and become more current with production. There was a […] Read more
Prairie cash wheat: Prices step back
U.S. wheat futures down on week
MarketsFarm — Wheat prices declined on the Canadian Prairies during the week ended Thursday, as a stronger Canadian dollar and losses in the U.S. wheat complex weighed on values. Pressure came from expanded all-wheat acres to be planted in the United States, 48.84 million expected in 2023 versus the 45.7 million planted in 2022. The […] Read more
Ritchie Bros. raises cash payout in bid for IAA
Activist investor Starboard Value buys into Ritchie
Reuters — Canada’s Ritchie Bros. on Monday sweetened the cash component of its buyout offer for IAA Inc. by 28 per cent, valuing the U.S. auto retailer at US$5.94 billion, and also secured the backing of a key IAA shareholder which had questioned the initial offer. The latest cash-and-stock offer at $44.40 per share, will […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybeans fall as rain expected to aid Argentine crop
Snow in U.S. Plains pressures wheat
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybean futures dropped on Monday for a fourth consecutive session as rainfall in Argentina’s parched growing areas diminished concerns over crop damage. Wheat fell to nearly 16-month lows as snow and rain across parts of the U.S. Great Plains brought needed moisture to winter wheat crops, while corn followed wheat […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME cattle firm on bargain buying, grain values
Chicago lean hogs end day lower
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures firmed on Monday amid a spate of bargain buying after a recent slump in prices helped mute market impact of the bearish results of the latest Cattle on Feed report from the U.S. Agriculture Department, traders said. Cattle futures also were boosted by a sharp drop […] Read more
AAFC issues first look at 2023-24
Oats production expected down significantly on year; wheat, canola up
MarketsFarm — Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) has released its first crop projections for 2023-24, forecasting a very notable drop in oats. In AAFC’s January supply and demand estimates, released Friday, it cut oat production to 3.611 million tonnes, down almost 31 per cent compared to 2022-23. The department chopped the carryout for oats by […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME cattle end higher, rebounding ahead of USDA data
Hogs up after several days' slide
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures firmed on Friday on bargain buying a day after setting one-month lows, and as traders squared positions ahead of monthly feedlot data released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture after the close of trading. CME February live cattle settled up 0.675 cent at 156.625 cents/lb., […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybeans sag on improving Argentine crop weather
Chicago wheat up on weekly sales data
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures hit a one-week low on Friday, declining for a third straight session as traders fixated on forecasts for welcome rains in drought-hit Argentina, analysts said. Corn ended mostly lower on the Argentine weather outlook, but better-than-expected weekly U.S. grain export sales limited losses in corn and lifted wheat […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME live cattle futures hit one-month low
USDA data awaited; hogs down on wholesale pork price weakness
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures fell on Thursday with the most-active April contract hitting a one-month low on technical selling, soft cash cattle markets and weak wholesale beef prices, traders said. CME February live cattle settled down 0.85 cent at 155.95 cents/lb., near its 50-day moving average, after touching 155.375 […] Read more