File photo of a docked grain vessel at a Black Sea port in Turkey. (Bfk92/E+/Getty Images)

Bulk ocean freight rates recover off lows

Container rates remain in downtrend

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Ocean freight rates have shown some strength in late February, with the Baltic Dry Index (BDI) recovering off two-and-a-half-year lows hit earlier in the month. The BDI, a major indicator of bulk shipping rates, has risen for seven straight sessions to settle Monday at 935 points, up from the low of 530 points […] Read more

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

ICE weekly outlook: Rising canola market runs into resistance

Resistance seen around $835, support around $820

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — ICE Futures canola contracts moved higher during the week ended Wednesday, but ran into some resistance to the upside as values held rangebound overall. “Technicals, short-covering, fund buying and a lack of selling,” were all providing support during the week along with spillover from advances in Chicago soyoil, according to Jamie Wilton of […] Read more


ICE March 2023 canola with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

ICE weekly outlook: Canola drifting lower

Near-record soy still expected from South America

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — ICE Futures canola contracts drifted lower during the week ended Wednesday, although values remained rangebound overall. β€œThe market is maybe coming to the realization that we still have near-record South American (soybean) supplies on hand,” Ken Ball of PI Financial in Winnipeg said of the downtrend. While Argentina has suffered crop losses from […] Read more

(Qingwa/iStock/Getty Images)

CBOT weekly outlook: Latest USDA adjustments do little to move market

Selling pressure short-lived after report

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Updated supply/demand estimates (WASDE) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture were neutral to slightly bearish for soybeans, corn and wheat, with latest numbers largely coming in line with expectations. The February report is traditionally not a major market mover, with the Chicago futures markets waiting for confirmation on South American crops and for […] Read more


(Thinkstock photo)

Prairie cash wheat: Spring wheat bids edge higher

U.S. wheat futures supportive; durum bids down

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Spring wheat bids in Western Canada were mostly higher during the week ended Thursday, underpinned by gains in U.S. wheat futures. However, durum bids lost some ground. Average Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS, 13.5 per cent protein) wheat prices were up by between 10 cents and $5.80 per tonne across the Prairies, according […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Prairie markets hold steady

U.S. corn imports keep lid on domestic grains

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Feed grain markets in Western Canada have seen little change over the past few weeks. Feed barley bids across Western Canada have generally held steady over the past month, with the spot market topping out at $9.58 per bushel in Alberta, according to Prairie Ag Hotwire data. Prices in Manitoba and Saskatchewan are […] Read more


Wheat being loaded onto a cargo ship in Vancouver in 2011. (File photo: Reuters/Ben Nelms)

China top destination for Canadian grains, oilseeds

CGC data points to key destinations

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — China is the top destination for Canadian grain and oilseed exports through the first five months of the 2022-23 marketing year, accounting for roughly a third of the total movement, according to the latest monthly report from the Canadian Grain Commission. Canada has exported 6.566 million tonnes of grains, oilseeds, and pulses to […] Read more

(Serts/iStock/Getty Images)

Pulse weekly outlook: India looking for lentils, large Australian crop in play

India extends zero-rate tariff

Reading Time: 1 minute MarketsFarm — An extension of zero-rate tariffs on lentils moving into India for another year should be a clear sign that the country is in the market for imports. However, Canadian lentil sales to India face stiff competition, with a large Australian crop likely to limit movement going forward. India announced at the end of […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

Spec short position grows in canola

Managed money net long in soy, corn

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Speculators were busy adding to their growing net short position in canola during the week ended Jan. 24, according to the latest Commitments of Traders (CoT) report compiled by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The net managed money short position in ICE Futures canola came in at 32,625 contracts on Jan. […] Read more

ICE March 2023 canola with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

ICE weekly outlook: Canola trading window lowered

A crude oil downturn would pressure canola, loonie

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — The ICE Futures canola market posted steady losses for five sessions, testing the lower edge of their well-established trading ranges before finally uncovering some support on Wednesday. The losses did damage from a chart perspective, with the activity bumping the trading window lower, according to an analyst. “Overall, both on old- and new-crop, […] Read more