Look for trading of soybeans, corn and wheat at the Chicago Board of Trade remain sideways for the balance of January, perhaps longer, said Ryan Ettner, broker with Allendale Inc. in McHenry, Ill.
Tom Lilja, an analyst from Progressive Ag in Fargo, N.D., expects corn and soybeans yields to be trimmed ahead of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s monthly supply/demand estimates release on Jan. 12, 2026.
Sideways trade is expected to be the norm in the soybean and corn futures markets through the holiday season, as participants continue to get caught up on the data that was delayed during the United States government shutdown.
As activity at the Chicago Board of Trade shifts into holiday mode through the New Year, independent analyst Terry Reilly pointed to three things to watch over the next few weeks.
Soybean futures at the Chicago Board of Trade climbed to their highest levels in a year-and-a-half on Nov. 18, as optimism over increasing sales to China provided support. However, more business will be needed to sustain the upward move, with traders uncertain whether the stated targets will be reached.
Regardless of the United States government shutdown ending soon or not, the Department of Agriculture is set to issue its supply and demand report on Nov. 14. The USDA cancelled its October edition of World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimates due to the shutdown and pushed back their November report a few days.
Optimism over thawing trade relations between the United States and China gave soybean futures at the Chicago Board of Trade a boost during the week ended Oct. 29, with the advances in the soy market spilling into corn and wheat.