The Chicago Board of Trade building on May 28, 2018. (Harmantasdc/iStock Editorial/Getty Images)

CBOT weekly outlook: Commodities hold up while waiting on China

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — There’s no doubt commodities on the Chicago Board of Trade have struggled since the coronavirus outbreak in China, but the situation could be worse, a trader said. “I personally think the markets… are holding up pretty well with all of the negative news,” said Scott Capinegro of Barrington Commodities in Barrington, Ill. Some […] Read more



K.C. March 2020 wheat with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat, corn ease after rallies

Chicago soybean futures firm

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat and corn futures fell on Wednesday on profit taking from the previous session’s strong rally, grain dealers said. Bargain buying pulled the grain contracts from their session lows ahead of the close. “Yesterday was probably a little overdone in the wheat market,” said Jim Gerlach, president of Indiana-based A/C […] Read more

MGEX March 2020 spring wheat with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat futures rally, pull corn higher

Chicago soybean futures weaken

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures surged 4.5 per cent on Tuesday, their biggest gain since May, as cuts to the harvest outlook in Australia bolstered prospects for U.S. exports, traders said. The rally in wheat, which closed near session highs as technical buyers entered the market after the early strength, underpinned the corn […] Read more


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

U.S. livestock: Hogs rally with hopes for exports to China

Cattle market similarly hopeful

Reading Time: < 1 minute Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures rose 2.1 per cent on Tuesday on hopes for increased demand from China as the world’s top pork consumer announced plans to begin issuing tariff-free import licenses. China will grant exemptions on retaliatory duties imposed against 696 U.S. goods, the most substantial tariff relief to be offered so […] Read more

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

U.S. grains: Corn, soy, wheat end lower ahead of long weekend

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn and soybean futures closed lower on Friday on technical selling ahead of a long holiday weekend and uncertainty about U.S. export prospects, traders said. Wheat futures followed the weak trend, drifting lower in rangebound trade. A stronger dollar hung over the markets, making U.S. grains and soy less competitive […] Read more


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

U.S. livestock: Cattle bounce after this week’s four-month lows

Plentiful hog supplies drag on futures

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures closed higher on Friday on bargain buying after the benchmark April contract fell to a 4-1/2-month low this week, with traders citing expectations for a seasonal pickup in beef demand, traders said. Benchmark April live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange settled up 1.8 cents at […] Read more

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

U.S. livestock: Lean hogs edge up on hopes for Chinese demand

April live cattle up on short-covering

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures rose modestly on Thursday on technical buying and hopes China will step up purchases of U.S. agricultural goods including pork as the U.S.-China Phase One trade deal takes effect, brokers said. Benchmark April lean hog futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange settled up 0.3 cent at 64.075 […] Read more


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

U.S. grains: Soy up on prospects for Chinese demand

U.S. dollar strength drags on wheat, corn

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures rose on Thursday, rallying from early declines on short-covering and prospects for China to step up purchases of U.S. supplies as the U.S.-China Phase One deal goes into effect in days, traders said. But wheat and corn futures fell, pressured by a stronger U.S. dollar, worries about economic […] Read more

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

U.S. livestock: Cattle rise on broad commodity strength

Nearby hogs down on weak cash values

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures closed higher on Wednesday, bouncing off a four-month low on bargain buying along with broad-based strength in equity and commodity markets as fears subsided about the impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak in China. The benchmark April live cattle futures contract on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) […] Read more