CBOT November 2020 soybeans with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soy up after crop ratings dip

Corn sags despite sale to China

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures edged higher on Tuesday after weekly crop condition ratings declined, but improving weather in the Midwest crop belt kept a lid on rallies by backing expectations for large harvests, traders said. Corn closed lower, shrugging off news of a massive Chinese purchase of U.S. corn. Wheat firmed, buoyed […] Read more


CBOT December 2020 corn with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn, soy down as weather favours yield prospects

Trade monitoring Northern Hemisphere wheat crops

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures fell more than two per cent on Monday, nearing a two-week low as Midwest weather forecasts turned milder for the crop’s key growth phase this month, raising the potential for a large harvest, analysts said. The rosy weather outlook also pushed soybean futures lower, and wheat followed the […] Read more

CME August 2020 lean hogs with 20- and 50-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hogs up on pork demand, export optimism

Feeder cattle up on lower corn prices

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures rose on Monday on signs of improving demand for pork products and optimism about export demand from China as the Asian country struggles with renewed outbreaks of a hog disease, traders said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) August lean hog futures settled up 1.4 cents at 51.275 cents/lb., after […] Read more


CME August 2020 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hog futures weaken, cattle futures advance

Cattle values rise as corn values drop

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures on Friday pulled back from a rally the previous session as large supplies and doubts about Chinese imports weighed on the market, analysts said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) August lean hog futures settled down 0.35 cent at 49.875 cents/lb. (all figures US$). The contract has rebounded slightly since […] Read more

CBOT December 2020 corn with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn, soybeans drop on favourable weather

Chicago wheat jumps

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn and soybean futures prices fell on Friday on expectations for beneficial rains in crop-growing areas and as President Donald Trump said the country’s relationship with trading partner China was severely damaged. A monthly U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report pegged America’s harvests below analysts’ expectations, although the estimates were […] Read more


(Zevei-Wenhui/iStock/Getty Images)

China’s slower meat imports seen worsening its protein shortage

Beijing | Reuters — China’s dwindling pace of meat imports, thanks to its tough measures against coronavirus contamination, will provide further support for prices already buoyed by a severe shortage of pork, analysts said. Purchases of pork and other meats have soared this year after domestic production shrank 30 per cent following an outbreak of […] Read more



CBOT November 2020 soybeans with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soybeans hit four-month high on hot, dry weather

CBOT corn futures near 3-1/2-month peak

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn and soybean futures rose on Monday as expectations for unfavourably hot, dry weather increased concerns over the crops, after the federal government said last week that U.S. farmers planted fewer acres than expected. Soybeans touched a four-month high and corn traded near last week’s 3-1/2-month peak as the markets […] Read more

(Xinzheng/Getty Images)

China says could take more action against Canada

Ottawa and allies 'kicking against the pricks,' foreign ministry says

Beijing | Reuters — China said on Monday it reserved the right to take more action after Canada suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong and said efforts to pressure Beijing were “doomed to fail like kicking against the pricks.” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian made the remarks about the potential for more action […] Read more