Loading grain on a vessel at a Burrard Inlet terminal. (Maxvis/iStock/Getty Images)

Bulk ocean freight at highest level of past year

Container freight rates seen softening

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Ocean freight rates have shown some strength over the past two months, with the Baltic Dry Index (BDI) at its highest level of the past year. The BDI, a major indicator of bulk shipping rates, settled at 2,058 points on Tuesday, marking the first close above 2,000 points since July 2022. The BDI […] Read more

Pinto beans. (Vergani_Fotografia/iStock/Getty Images)

Pulse weekly outlook: Smaller North American dry bean crops to underpin prices

Canada's edible bean crop estimated smallest since 2016

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Variable weather conditions during the 2023 growing season cut into edible bean production in some key North American growing regions, with tighter supplies overall likely to keep prices well supported. “The whole world is a little short of beans this year,” said Mitch Coulter, executive director of the Northarvest Bean Growers Association in […] Read more


(File photo by Dave Bedard)

Fund short position grows in canola

Funds shift to net short in CBOT soybeans

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — The managed money net short position in ICE canola futures continued to grow in early October as speculators liquidated long positions and put on new shorts, according to the latest Commitments of Traders report from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). As of Oct. 10, the net managed-money short position in canola […] Read more

ICE November 2023 canola with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

ICE weekly outlook: Canola futures looking for bottom

Crushing pace remains aggressive

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — ICE Futures canola contracts fell to their lowest levels in three and a half months during the week ended Wednesday, taking some direction from Chicago soyoil as harvest activity winds down across the Prairies. Losses in other markets, including Malaysian palm oil and European rapeseed futures, added to the declines in canola. “Everybody […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

Managed money fund traders increase bearish canola bets

Funds still net long in CBOT soybeans

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — The managed money net short position in ICE Futures canola grew to its largest level in three and a half months in early October on a combination of long liquidation and new bearish bets going on the books, according to the latest Commitments of Traders report from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission […] Read more

ICE November 2023 canola with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

ICE weekly outlook: Canola looking for a spark

Recent declines in crude oil, diesel seen as bearish

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — The ICE Futures canola market hit its lowest levels in three months on the last trading day of September but has since uncovered some support in the first days of October. Canola “has found a level where it’s stabilized, but there’s not a lot of life right now,” said Ken Ball of PI […] Read more


(File photo by Dave Bedard)

Fund net short position grows in canola

Net long in CBOT soybeans seen declining

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — The managed money net short position in the ICE Futures canola market more than doubled during the week ended Tuesday on a combination of long liquidation and new bearish bets going on the books, according to the latest Commitments of Traders report from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). As of Sept. […] Read more

(Christophe Paul photo courtesy USDA)

U.S. stocks data bearish for soybeans, bullish on corn

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — The U.S. corn carryout for the 2022-23 crop year came in below average trade guesses while soybean supplies were above expectations, according to the quarterly stocks report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture released Friday. There were 1.36 billion bushels of corn in storage in the country as of Sept. 1, which was […] Read more


File photo of a Wyoming corn crop. (RiverNorthPhotography/iStock/Getty Images)

CBOT weekly outlook: Soy, corn trade watch harvest weather

USDA to publish quarterly stocks data Friday

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Harvest operations for soybeans and corn are in their early stages, with seasonal selling pressure likely to limit any upside potential in the futures markets over the next few weeks. However, both commodities have found nearby support on the other side keeping values rangebound overall. The U.S. soybean harvest was 12 per cent […] Read more

On the morning of Dec. 30, the nearby January canola contract apparently hit a new all-time high.  Photo: File

Tightening canola stocks projected, AAFC says

Wheat, barley, oat, pea stocks also projected lower

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm –– Canadian canola carryout supplies for the current marketing year will likely end up tighter than earlier expectations, according to updated supply/demand balance sheets from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) that account for recent production and stocks data from Statistics Canada. Canola ending stocks for 2023-24 are now forecast to tighten to only one […] Read more