Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle and hog futures retreated on Tuesday in a profit-taking setback after three sessions of gains that were fueled by rising meat prices and concerns about meat shortages as several packing plants have closed due to coronavirus infections among workers. Benchmark June lean hog futures corrected after gaining nearly 18 […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle, hogs slide after three days of gains
"The workers are spooked to come to work"
U.S. grains: Corn gains with rising crude, limited by early planting
Soybeans rise on sale to China, despite tariff talk
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Chicago corn futures gained on Tuesday, following energy markets higher on hopes of renewed ethanol fuel demand as lockdowns ease, but were capped by ahead-of-schedule planting across the U.S. Midwest, analysts said. Soybeans climbed on confirmation of new sales to China, even as the United States renewed tariff threats over China’s […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybeans tumble as China spat piles on demand worries
Grain markets hit by drop in demand for feed, biofuel
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybean and corn futures slid on Monday as rising tensions between Washington and Beijing raised concern about further demand risk, on top of coronavirus disruptions to biofuel and livestock feed markets. Favourable crop weather also weighed on prices as planting advanced in the U.S. Midwest while rain across Europe looks […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle, hog futures inch up as plants reopen
Rising wholesale prices support futures
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog and live cattle futures closed higher on Monday, as meat processing facilities began to open after closures of more than 20 plants due to coronavirus illnesses among workers. Rising pork and beef cutout prices have also helped give futures a boost on Monday, said Mark Schultz, chief analyst […] Read more
Funds add to short position in canola, move to net long in soy
Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — The net managed money short position in canola rose slightly in late April, while soybean speculators covered some of their bearish bets, according to the latest commitment of traders (CoT) report from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The net managed money short position in ICE Futures canola came in Tuesday at […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybeans slide on renewed trade tensions with China
Corn, wheat also fall on heightened trade tensions
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures declined on Friday as renewed concern about trade tensions between the United States and China overshadowed fresh export sales to the world’s largest soybean consumer. Corn and wheat futures also fell on uncertain feed demand and good weather across much of the U.S. Midwest that signaled another strong […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle, hog futures climb with wholesale meat prices
About 20 North American meat plants offline
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures closed higher on Friday after touching a three-week top, buoyed by firm cash cattle values and surging wholesale beef prices as labor shortages slow the U.S. slaughter pace, traders said. New-month buying by speculators may have also lent support, they said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange June live cattle […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Hogs climb on strong pork exports, wholesale prices
Packer margins, wholesale beef prices support live cattle futures
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures rose on Thursday as bullish weekly U.S. pork export data and rising wholesale prices overshadowed worries about a slowdown in the U.S. hog slaughter pace backing up hog supplies, traders said. “You’ve got a combination of export sales being strong (and) the wholesale market trading very firm […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybeans up on export demand, month-end position-squaring
Strong weekly U.S. export sales data also supports corn, wheat
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures rose more than two per cent on Thursday, the biggest single-day advance in a month, on strong weekly export sales and news of fresh demand from top global soy buyer China, analysts said. Corn futures firmed for a second day on strong export sales and signs the worst […] Read more
CBOT weekly outlook: Prices soft on lack of demand
Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Technical buying was a supportive factor on the Chicago Board of Trade in late April, but commodity futures were broadly lower due to a lack of export activity. However, China reportedly remains committed to fulfilling its end of its Phase One trade agreement with the United States. Although soybean futures have been near […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
