CNS Canada — Supply and demand estimates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture held few surprises and had only limited effects on Chicago Board of Trade corn and soybeans — both rangebound in the short term, according to one U.S.-based analyst. “That report was pretty non-eventful right now,” said Scott Capinegro of Barrington Commodity Brokers. […] Read more
CBOT weekly outlook: Soy, corn hold in trading range
Views mixed on impact of crude’s slip for ag markets
CNS Canada — While just about everyone agrees the plunging price of oil will have a bearish effect on commodity prices, the size and impact of that fall seems to vary. As recently as Nov. 4, crude oil prices were $48.64 a barrel, but since then have fallen to US$37.86, as of Wednesday’s opening. Some […] Read more
U.S. grains: Wheat rises on weaker dollar, stocks check corn
Reuters — Chicago wheat futures rose on Wednesday, as short-covering and a weaker U.S. dollar buoyed prices after a two-day slide, while a U.S. government report held corn in check. Corn eked out only a tiny gain, after the U.S. Department of Agriculture raised its outlook for domestic corn supplies by 25 million bushels, more […] Read more
Dreyfus, Cargill win Brazil port space
Sao Paulo | Reuters –– Louis Dreyfus Commodities and Cargill won an auction on Wednesday to operate a grain terminal at Santos Port for 25 years, while Fibria SA and Marimex won rights to operate pulp areas there leased from Brazil’s government. The three port areas were the first of 93 nationwide that the government […] Read more
Dow-DuPont talks driven by weak farm demand, investor pressure
Reuters — Merger talks between Dow Chemical and DuPont are likely to have been precipitated by shareholder pressure and weakening demand for crop-protection chemicals, and such a deal would have been unlikely even a few months ago. Stocks of both companies jumped 12 per cent on Wednesday — Dow’s to a record high of $56.80 […] Read more
CP revises offer for Norfolk Southern, rebuffed again
Reuters — Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) on Tuesday revised its bid to buy U.S. railroad operator Norfolk Southern Corp, less than a week after its prior $28.4 billion proposal was rejected but the new offer was promptly rejected again. Calgary-based CP said it was now offering $32.86 in cash and 0.451 of a share in […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybeans sink on liquidation ahead of USDA report
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybeans extended losses on Tuesday to touch a one-week low on long liquidation and technical selling ahead of a monthly government supply and demand report, more than offsetting strong import demand from China. Corn ticked up, recovering slightly from Monday’s slide of more than two per cent as traders unwound […] Read more
U.S. grains: Corn, soy drop from multi-week highs on profit-taking
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures fell on Monday for the first time in six sessions and corn dropped after two sessions of gains on profit-taking and as traders took positions ahead of a government crop report due later this week. Wheat futures closed lower as earlier technical buying and short-covering support faded amid […] Read more
Yara to buy Agrium fertilizer upgrading plant
Canadian fertilizer firm Agrium has a buyer lined up for a U.S. nitrogen upgrading site it’s been looking to sell since April. Oslo-based fertilizer giant Yara said Thursday it’s made a deal to buy Agrium’s West Sacramento Nitrogen Operations plant for US$27 million (C$36 million) and use the facility instead as an import terminal for […] Read more
BHP Billiton to cut 76 Sask. potash jobs
Reuters — Anglo-Australian miner BHP Billiton will cut 76 jobs from its Canadian potash operations due to low commodity prices, a company spokesperson said on Friday. Work continues on sinking and lining shafts at BHP’s potash mine near Jansen, Sask., about 60 km southeast of Humboldt, according to the spokesperson. The mine would be the […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
