Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) lean hog futures closed lower on Friday, following softening cash hog prices, traders said. CME February hog futures settled down 1.425 cents at 62.65 cents/lb., halting a three-session advance (all figures US$). Traders noted that hogs in the top cash market of Iowa and southern Minnesota traded […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME hogs slip on weaker cash
U.S. livestock: Hogs close limit up on hopes of export pick-up
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures rallied on Thursday, with most contracts closing at their daily trading limit, on hopes that exports to China will pick up after Washington and Beijing agreed to open trade negotiations, traders said. China and the U.S. will hold lower-level trade talks this month, the two governments said, offering […] Read more
U.S. grain firms set up co-ops in tax law’s wake
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. agricultural merchants are scrambling to register themselves as cooperatives after a blunder in the country’s new tax law gave farmers a tax break for selling grains to co-ops rather than private firms. Private crop handlers — including the “big four” merchants Archer Daniels Midland, Bunge, Cargill and Louis Dreyfus — […] Read more
USDA lowers U.S. corn stocks view as exports rise
Washington | Reuters — Surging export demand for U.S. corn will cut into domestic stockpiles of the grain by more than expected, the U.S. Agriculture Department said on Thursday. But U.S. soybean stocks were forecast to rise as a bumper harvest in Brazil will allow overseas buyers to source their oilseed purchases from the South […] Read more
Major U.S. grain firms fear harm from new tax law
Chicago | Reuters — The new U.S. tax law is poised to drive more control over the nation’s grain supply to farmer-owned co-operatives, provoking concern among ethanol producers and privately run grain handlers that they could be squeezed out of the competition to buy crops. Until now, the co-operatives, private companies and publicly traded firms […] Read more
U.S. grains: Corn, soybeans rise after rains
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade corn and soybean futures rose on Monday morning, supported by concerns that rain will delay field work in key growing areas and may damage some recently seeded crops, traders said. “Grain futures are trying to start the week higher across the board following a soggy weekend across […] Read more