Market Commentary: The Tempo not the Quantum
Everyone knows the volume traded this week will be lower, but there is no break in the directional adjustments. The corn market still had to continue its march higher, worries about wheat supplies moving out of Ukraine and even volume was not totally lower with soymeal and lean hog trading keep...
Quarterly Hogs and Pigs Report
USDA released its quarterly Hogs and Pigs report today. The inventory of all hogs and pigs on 1 December was 75.5 million head, up 1 percent from December 2024, and up slightly from 1 September 2025. Breeding inventory, at 5.95 million head, was down 1 percent from last year and up sligh...
Summary of Futures
Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.475/bushel, up $0.005 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.17/bushel, up $0.015 from yesterday's close. Jan 26 Soybeans closed at $10.515/bushel, down $0.0175 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $304.2/short ton, up $2.3 from...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins deteriorated further last week, extending their move into negative territory after early December’s strong profits. Margins fell another $65/head to –$140 as fed cattle prices held firm while the Choice cutout slipped nearly $2/cwt. The tightening spread reflects...
Market Commentary: CBOT Bounces on Short-Covering and Positive Export Data
The CBOT turned higher on Monday with positive export data from USDA and a healthy dose of bottom-picking and pre-holiday short covering driving the upside action. Corn was the upside leader for the day as export shipments remain strong with foreign buyers and end-users picking up the purchase...
Cattle on Feed for Dec 2025
USDA reports U.S. Cattle on Feed down 2 percent in feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head to total 11.7 million head on December 1, 2025. Placements in feedlots during November totaled 1.60 million head, 11 percent below 2024. Marketings of during November totaled 1.52 million...
WTO Gets Trumped; Novel Remains Unusual; Cheese Diversion
WTO Gets Trumped The WTO was thrown out back on 2 April when President Trump announced his reciprocal tariffs. The tariffs totally violated U.S. obligations under the WTO but the signal was clear that the U.S. would no longer be constrained by any agreements at the WTO. Still, the Administratio...
Summary of Futures
Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.47/bushel, up $0.0325 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.155/bushel, up $0.0575 from yesterday's close. Jan 26 Soybeans closed at $10.5325/bushel, up $0.04 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $301.9/short ton, up $0.8 from y...
Beef Market Recap and Outlook
On 21 November, Tyson Foods, one of the largest beef packing companies in the United States, announced it will close its cattle slaughter facility in Lexington, Nebraska, and reduce its beef operations in Amarillo, Texas, down to a single, full-capacity shift. Based on estimated slaughter at bo...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
The attached PDF offers graphical depiction and seasonal analysis of managed money and commercial traders' net position in key agricultural commodity markets. The data is, of course, taken from the CFTC's weekly Commitment of Traders report, using the futures only data. WPI recently completed a...
WPI Grain Transportation Report
Dry-bulk freight markets are mixed this week with pre-holiday trade driving diverging trends. The Capesize sector saw some strength, primarily in the Atlantic, with demand for Brazilian loadings driving the market. Panamax and Supramax markets, in contrast, saw weaker pricing as ballaster...
Market Commentary: Volume Gives Way as Bearish Slide Moderates
There was lower volume in the grain pits today, with perhaps some stronger interest in the last few days of holiday shopping. Traders were not buying corn or soybeans for their loved ones today, but maybe a wee bit of HRS, which closed up today and uniquely was higher for the week. There were...
Market Commentary: The Tempo not the Quantum
Everyone knows the volume traded this week will be lower, but there is no break in the directional adjustments. The corn market still had to continue its march higher, worries about wheat supplies moving out of Ukraine and even volume was not totally lower with soymeal and lean hog trading keep...
Quarterly Hogs and Pigs Report
USDA released its quarterly Hogs and Pigs report today. The inventory of all hogs and pigs on 1 December was 75.5 million head, up 1 percent from December 2024, and up slightly from 1 September 2025. Breeding inventory, at 5.95 million head, was down 1 percent from last year and up sligh...
Summary of Futures
Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.475/bushel, up $0.005 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.17/bushel, up $0.015 from yesterday's close. Jan 26 Soybeans closed at $10.515/bushel, down $0.0175 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $304.2/short ton, up $2.3 from...
Livestock Industry Margins
Beef packer margins deteriorated further last week, extending their move into negative territory after early December’s strong profits. Margins fell another $65/head to –$140 as fed cattle prices held firm while the Choice cutout slipped nearly $2/cwt. The tightening spread reflects...
Market Commentary: CBOT Bounces on Short-Covering and Positive Export Data
The CBOT turned higher on Monday with positive export data from USDA and a healthy dose of bottom-picking and pre-holiday short covering driving the upside action. Corn was the upside leader for the day as export shipments remain strong with foreign buyers and end-users picking up the purchase...
Cattle on Feed for Dec 2025
USDA reports U.S. Cattle on Feed down 2 percent in feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head to total 11.7 million head on December 1, 2025. Placements in feedlots during November totaled 1.60 million head, 11 percent below 2024. Marketings of during November totaled 1.52 million...
WTO Gets Trumped; Novel Remains Unusual; Cheese Diversion
WTO Gets Trumped The WTO was thrown out back on 2 April when President Trump announced his reciprocal tariffs. The tariffs totally violated U.S. obligations under the WTO but the signal was clear that the U.S. would no longer be constrained by any agreements at the WTO. Still, the Administratio...
Summary of Futures
Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.47/bushel, up $0.0325 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.155/bushel, up $0.0575 from yesterday's close. Jan 26 Soybeans closed at $10.5325/bushel, up $0.04 from yesterday's close. Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $301.9/short ton, up $0.8 from y...
Beef Market Recap and Outlook
On 21 November, Tyson Foods, one of the largest beef packing companies in the United States, announced it will close its cattle slaughter facility in Lexington, Nebraska, and reduce its beef operations in Amarillo, Texas, down to a single, full-capacity shift. Based on estimated slaughter at bo...
CFTC COT Report Analysis
The attached PDF offers graphical depiction and seasonal analysis of managed money and commercial traders' net position in key agricultural commodity markets. The data is, of course, taken from the CFTC's weekly Commitment of Traders report, using the futures only data. WPI recently completed a...
WPI Grain Transportation Report
Dry-bulk freight markets are mixed this week with pre-holiday trade driving diverging trends. The Capesize sector saw some strength, primarily in the Atlantic, with demand for Brazilian loadings driving the market. Panamax and Supramax markets, in contrast, saw weaker pricing as ballaster...
Market Commentary: Volume Gives Way as Bearish Slide Moderates
There was lower volume in the grain pits today, with perhaps some stronger interest in the last few days of holiday shopping. Traders were not buying corn or soybeans for their loved ones today, but maybe a wee bit of HRS, which closed up today and uniquely was higher for the week. There were...