Markets – Page 5

Producers with early contracts received good prices, especially for organic crops such as oats and flax. Photo: File/Greg Berg

Oats swinging higher, but rangebound

Futures no longer connected to cash market

By Glen Hallick - MarketsFarm March 6, 2025

As oat futures fluctuate on the Chicago Board of Trade, they remain rangebound, said Progressive Ag analyst Tom Lilja in Fargo, N.D. However, to Scott Shiels of Grain Millers Canada in Yorkton, Sask. there’s a disconnect between those futures and cash prices for oats.

Barley, Markets, Spring Wheat, Winter Wheat

Feed Grains Weekly: Prices feeling the tariff pressure

This is a bit of an overreaction says broker

By Glen Hallick - MarketsFarm March 6, 2025

Even before tariffs were imposed by United States President Donald Trump on March 4, the levies were having an impact on Western Canadian feed grain prices, said Jay Janzen of CorNine Commodities in Lacombe, Alta.

Demand for organic pulses had been steadily rising before the COVID-19 outbreak, but supply chains are prepared to meet the new demand. Photo: File

Lentils, Markets, Pulses

China’s pulses to inch higher in 2024/25 says USDA attaché

Production has been shrinking

By Glen Hallick - MarketsFarm March 4, 2025

Total pulse production in China has been projected to increase slightly to 983,000 tonnes in 2024/25 compared to the 959,000 tonnes harvested the year before, according to the United States Department of Agriculture's attaché; in Beijing.

Five-year financing on new equipment doesn’t care if cash flow and profit are less than they were when you made the purchase.

Features

To debt, or not to debt?

As we head further into 2025, will more debt be essential for a farm’s success?

By April Stewart February 28, 2025

Glacier FarmMedia — There are many pressures on the agriculture industry and its individual businesses. Our farms are expected to do more at every turn. Every sector is feeling the effects of those expectations. And you don’t need to go far to find a farmer who will tell you the cost underpinning all the programs, […] Read more

Despite my call for an official recession in Canada, I do think our stocks will perform better, with a gain of perhaps 10 per cent.

Columns, Home Quarter Investing, Markets

A spectacular 2024 defied predictions, again

Investing for Fun and Profit: Also, my amateur investor market outlook for 2025

By Herman VanGenderen February 28, 2025

The stock market was a happy place in 2024, with the U.S. S&P 500 delivering a 25 per cent total return, including dividends. Even the laggardly Canadian TSX joined the party with a total return of 21.6 per cent. How did my 2024 predictions turn out compared to the pros, and what do I see […] Read more

Barley, Beef Cattle, Corn, Livestock, Markets, Spring Wheat, Winter Wheat

Feed Grains Weekly: Overbooked end-users worried about tariffs on Canadian beef

Feed wheat, U.S. corn too expensive

By Glen Hallick - MarketsFarm February 20, 2025

There won't be a whole lot of movement of feed grains on the Canadian Prairies any time soon, stated Darcy Haley, vice-president of Ag Value Brokers in Lethbridge. He said not only are the end-users overbooked, but the relentless uncertainty over tariffs continues to dominate the cattle industry across Western Canada.

“But we lost a lot of acres… which suggests to me that some organic guys have let some of their organics land go. And they are growing canola on the side,” says Laura Telford. Photo: Greg Berg

Canola, Markets, Soybeans

ICE Canada Weekly: Canola set to climb higher

Supplies getting tighter

By Glen Hallick - MarketsFarm February 12, 2025

Canola has been on something of a tear for about a month with increases in 16 of its last 20 sessions on the Intercontinental Exchange as of Feb. 12. Despite a great amount of political chaos surrounding all of the markets, the Canadian oilseed is poised to climb higher for the rest of February, said broker Tony Tryhuk of RBC Dominion Securities in Winnipeg, Man.

Spring projections are for continued lower placements in feedlots.

Cattleman’s Corner, Columns, Markets

Tighter fed cattle supplies projected for second quarter

The Markets: The trend has been toward fewer cattle in feedlots across North America in late 2024

By Jerry Klassen February 11, 2025

At the time of writing this article, April 2025 live cattle futures were trading just above $197, which was a fresh contract high. The market appears to be incorporating a risk premium due to uncertainty in beef production in both Canada and the U.S. This has provided Alberta feedlot operators opportunities to lock in favourable […] Read more

Markets

Speculators exit short positions in canola

Net short smallest since 2023

By Phil Franz-Warkentin February 10, 2025

Speculative fund traders were busy covering bearish bets and putting on new long positions during the first few days of February, taking the net short position in canola to its smallest level since September 2023, according to the latest Commitments of Traders report from the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

Crops that are less expensive to grow but still have profit potential may look more attractive in the expected market environment.

Crops, Features, Markets

Expect smaller margins for error in 2025

Unless you're growing pinto beans, sharpen your pencils when calculating costs of production

By Robert Arnason February 9, 2025

Glacier FarmMedia — As of this writing it’s four and a half months until Canadian farmers will plant their next crop and at least eight months before the next harvest. But as of the middle of December, potential profits from growing grains, oilseeds and pulses are looking grim in Western Canada. “Costs have come down […] Read more

Alberta crop conditions improve: report

U.S. grains: Corn sets contract lows on expectations for big US crop

U.S. livestock: Cattle strength continues

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