Reading Time: < 1 minute Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) lean hog futures rose on Tuesday for a second straight day, supported by rising wholesale pork prices and a smaller weekly kill than a year ago, traders said. CME April lean hog futures ended up 1.05 cents at 88.35 cents/lb., moving back up toward a life-of-contract high […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Lean hogs climb as pork prices rise, slaughter pace slows
Cattle futures anticipate grilling season
CBOT weekly outlook: U.S. supply and demand report stands pat
Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Expected changes to ending stocks for soybeans, corn and wheat did not occur in the latest supply and demand report Tuesday from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Rather, the department held onto its February projections. “I’m disappointed [the USDA] didn’t adjust anything. I’m not saying they didn’t do their homework. I’m just […] Read more
U.S. grains: Wheat and soy climb, corn sags after USDA data
U.S. dollar's retreat also supportive
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures rose more than one per cent on Tuesday after the U.S. Department of Agriculture in a monthly report lowered its forecast of global wheat inventories, analysts said. Corn futures declined on a surprise increase in USDA’s forecast of world corn stocks, while soybean futures firmed after a choppy […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle, hogs firm as U.S. stimulus plan fuels optimism
Relief bill expected to lift meat demand
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) live cattle futures firmed on Monday, recovering from a seven-week low hit last week, on optimism that the US$1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill will spur the U.S. economy and bolster demand for meat, traders said. CME April live cattle futures settled up 0.325 cent at 119.35 cents/lb., […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybeans near seven-year peak
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures hit their highest in almost seven years on Monday as forecasts for dry weather in Argentina and excessive rains in Brazil stoked supply concerns. Wheat futures declined, pressured by forecasts for beneficial rains in the U.S. Plains winter wheat belt late this week. Corn futures ended mostly higher […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soy futures rally on dry Argentina weather
Attention turns to next week's USDA supply-demand outlook
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures prices pushed higher on Friday, notching a fourth straight weekly gain, as dry weather in Argentina continued to fuel worries about global supplies of the oilseed. Corn futures rebounded from a three-week low reached in the previous session, while wheat futures also edged higher. Concerns increased over crops […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Hog futures take a breather
April live cattle up, but well down off highs
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) lean hog futures consolidated on Friday as the market caught its breath after pulling back from contract highs reached last week. Strong demand for U.S. pork from China recently supported hog futures, as China is battling the fatal pig disease African swine fever, which increased its need […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Pork export sales rise, profit-taking hits hog futures
Cattle futures down while beef exports up
Reading Time: < 1 minute Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures ended lower on Thursday as profit-taking overshadowed strong U.S. export demand, analysts said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, in a weekly report, said weekly net U.S. pork export sales were 59,600 tonnes for 2021, up 68 per cent from the prior four-week average. Weekly export […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybeans jump on inclement South American weather
Weekly U.S. corn export sales miss expectations
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures settled higher on Thursday as adverse weather across South America fueled concerns about a short-term supply crunch. The market briefly turned lower late in the trading session amid gains in the U.S. dollar that make U.S. farm goods less attractive to importers, traders said (all figures US$). Prices […] Read more
ICE weekly outlook: Canola back where it started
Day-to-day movements seen as tough to predict
Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — ICE canola futures are pretty much back where they were a week ago after losing ground, only to recover by small — and then strong — gains. The May canola contract finished at $765.20 per tonne on Friday and closed Wednesday at $767.30. In between, the lowest close for May was $735.20. That […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
