Reading Time: 3 minutes Oct. 20 — A somewhat traditional “turnaround Tuesday,” with profit-taking the main focus of the markets after yesterday’s solid gains. Financial markets, energy and grains all ended lower on the day, with the exception of canola which finished higher primarily due to the two-cent drop in the Canadian dollar, which sparked some new export activity. […] Read more
Wittal: Grains slip on profit-taking
Wittal: Grains gain on weekend weather
Reading Time: 2 minutes Oct. 19 — Strong outside world markets and a continuing decline in the U.S. dollar have financial markets showing good gains today. The energy sector is also showing steady gains, which is helping to push the Canadian dollar still further up the chart. A rather uncertain forecast, showing continued cool wet weather that will no […] Read more
Wittal: Harvest uncertainty sidelines traders
Reading Time: 2 minutes Oct. 16 –– A rather mixed week in the grain markets as weather dominated, keeping the trade on edge waiting to see what the next day was going to bring. Financial indexes ended with losses today but were up slightly for the week overall. The U.S. dollar rose one-10th a cent today and closed out […] Read more
Wittal: Consider your loonie’s purchasing power
Reading Time: 2 minutes Oct. 14 — Grain markets tried to rebound after yesterday’s stumble but lost momentum again as the day went on, to close mixed. Financial indexes showed strong gains today as the U.S. dollar dropped just over half a cent. Crude oil continued to show strength as well, which helped fuel the continued climb of the […] Read more
Wittal: Climb in crude can pressure crop prices
Reading Time: 2 minutes Oct. 13 — Markets are mixed today after a strong showing yesterday, particularly by the U.S. grains, as a result of cold weather over the weekend. Financial indexes are showing mixed results as the U.S. dollar drops 0.18 cents. Energy markets continue to show strength with crude closing up 88 cents at US$74.15 per barrel. […] Read more
Wittal: Weather premium returns to markets
Reading Time: 3 minutes Oct. 9 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s production numbers came in at levels that the trade had previously speculated they would, so markets turned their focus on the upcoming forecast for the weekend, which calls for cold and frosty weather over a large part of the northern grain belt. All grains ended up for […] Read more
Wittal: Lock in some production to balance risk
Reading Time: 3 minutes Oct. 8 — All markets came out of the gates with positive momentum and have been able to hang onto it for the most part today. Financial indexes and energy markets showed steady gains as the U.S. dollar fell half a cent today, which in turn prompted the Canadian dollar to rise over a full […] Read more
Wittal: Profit-taking drags on futures
Reading Time: 2 minutes Oct. 7 — Markets tried to maintain the rally momentum of the previous day but that didn’t last long before profit-taking started to gain momentum and draw markets lower. Financial markets were mixed as quarterly earnings reports are starting to filter in from the major U.S. companies and banks over the next several days, so […] Read more
Wittal: Weigh canola downgrade against weather losses
Reading Time: 4 minutes Oct. 6 — Financial and energy markets took off out of the blocks like a sprinter this morning following positive overnight trading, but soon ran out of gas and faded back a bit as the day came to a close — sort of like the sprinter who forgot he was supposed to be running a […] Read more
Wittal: Markets sluggish ahead of more USDA data
Reading Time: 2 minutes Oct. 5 — It was a day of choppy, two-sided trading as financial and energy markets started the day in a downward fashion but as the day went on they were able to rebound and close with small gains. Grains followed pretty much the same pattern, with the exception of beans, which still ended up […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
