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

U.S. grains: Corn gains on short-covering

Soy firms on export deal

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures rose 2.4 per cent on Wednesday as traders unwound bearish bets following the market’s decline to its lowest since September 2009 on Tuesday, traders said. “Corn got down to the lowest prices yesterday we have seen in many years, and we have a short-covering bounce,” said Greg Grow, […] Read more



(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Uncertainty defines feeder market

'Hope' factor remains supportive

Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling prices were down $3-`$5 on average while calves were unchanged to down $2. Sales were characterized by low volumes and limited buying interest. Feedlot operators are hesitant to step forward in the current environment, with packing plants on both sides of the border reducing capacity. At the same […] Read more

CME June 2020 lean hogs with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hog futures rise on supply woes

CME cattle contracts ease

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures rallied on Monday, with supply expected to tighten after another slaughterhouse was shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, traders said. “If we have packers up and running we know we have the domestic demand,” said Ted Seifried, chief market strategist for Zaner Ag Hedge. “It is just […] Read more


CBOT May 2020 corn (candlesticks) and NYMEX May 2020 WTI crude oil (blue line). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn sinks to lowest since 2009 as crude oil turns negative

Russian export curbs support CBOT wheat

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade corn futures sagged 2.6 per cent to its lowest since September 2019, with a plunging crude oil market slashing demand for ethanol, traders said. Soybean futures also were lower, hitting a one-month low on pressure from cratering demand for energy amid the coronavirus pandemic. “Anything that had […] Read more



CBOT May 2020 wheat with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Chicago wheat stabilizes

Corn steady after lows; soybeans continue to slip

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago wheat futures rose on Friday, as traders wrestled with conflicting signals — from concerns over export demand of U.S. crops to the potential of weather risks. Corn futures edged higher on bargain shopping, consolidating above a 3-1/2 year low this week, while soybeans fell slightly, traders said. The modest gains […] Read more

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

U.S. livestock: Cattle mixed on hopes of economic reopening

'We're producing too many pigs for our demand'

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live and feeder cattle futures ended mixed on Friday, with nearby contracts pressured by coronavirus-related disruptions at packing plants, while hopes for a reopening of the economy lifted deferred contracts. Actively traded June live cattle ended higher on the week, for a second straight week, after seven consecutive weeks of […] Read more



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

U.S. grains: Wheat slumps after Egypt again passes on U.S. product

Soybeans slip on low exports, livestock feed worries

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures retreated on Thursday as worries over favourable weather dissipated and demand concerns resurfaced after top importer Egypt passed on U.S. wheat in a purchasing tender for a second straight day. Soybean futures sagged on weaker-than-expected export sales and worries of diminished livestock feed demand, while corn firmed after […] Read more