Articles by Phil Franz-Warkentin | Alberta Farmer Express

ICE weekly outlook: Canola nears resistance

By Phil Franz-Warkentin, GFM Network News 3 days ago

MarketsFarm — ICE Futures canola contracts hit their strongest levels in three months during the first week of July, but appear to be running into resistance from a chart standpoint. The November contract hit an intersession high of $482 per tonne on Wednesday, but settled below the $480 mark. “You can’t discount at least the […] Read more

Canola, Crops, Markets

Canola futures testing chart resistance

November canola briefly topped $480 Monday

By Phil Franz-Warkentin, GFM Network News 5 days ago

MarketsFarm — Recent price activity in the ICE Futures canola market has been bullish from a technical standpoint, with the futures poised for a break higher if the rally can be sustained. After trading at a low of $468.10 per tonne in late June, the November canola contract rallied to briefly trade above the psychological […] Read more

Barley, Crops, Markets

Feed weekly outlook: Barley bids soften as sector stabilizes

By Phil Franz-Warkentin, GFM Network News July 3, 2020

MarketsFarm — Feed barley bids in Western Canada have softened over the past two weeks, as some normalcy returns to the feeding sector. Feed barley bids delivered into the key Lethbridge feeding area have come down by $6-$8 per tonne over the past two weeks, with current prices around $240 per tonne, said Brandon Motz […] Read more

Crops, Markets, Weather

Attention turns to yield potential after StatsCan report

Future tweaks to acreage numbers seen as unlikely to sway markets

By Phil Franz-Warkentin, GFM Network News June 29, 2020

MarketsFarm — Updated acreage estimates from Statistics Canada came largely within market expectations, with the focus now shifting to growing conditions and yield potential. The survey was completed in early June “and may not have captured all of the seeding delays and potential shifts that may have happened in central/northern Alberta and northwestern Saskatchewan because […] Read more

Crops, Markets, Reuters

CBOT weekly outlook: Corn, soy in ‘Groundhog Day’ mode ahead of report

Traders expect report to show more U.S. soy acres, less corn area

By Phil Franz-Warkentin, GFM Network News June 25, 2020

MarketsFarm — Soybean and corn futures at the Chicago Board of Trade are biding their time in narrow, rangebound trade, awaiting updated acreage and stocks data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture later in the month. “It’s almost like Groundhog Day,” said Terry Reilly of Futures International in Chicago, referring to the 1993 movie in […] Read more

Crops, Markets

Little change seen in June’s crop supply/demand tables

By Phil Franz-Warkentin, GFM Network News June 24, 2020

MarketsFarm — Supply/demand estimates for Canada’s major crops saw little change in updated tables released Tuesday from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Acreage estimates from Statistics Canada are due out June 30, and should lead to more sizeable adjustments in subsequent reports. Canola ending stocks were left unchanged at 2.6 million tonnes for the current marketing […] Read more

Canola, Crops, Markets

Fund short position edging down in canola

By Phil Franz-Warkentin, GFM Network News June 20, 2020

MarketsFarm — The managed money net short position in canola saw a slight reduction in mid-June, as speculators covered short positions in the market, 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

Hogs, Livestock, Markets

Hog sector hit hard by pandemic

Market weakness seen likely to push some farmers out of business

By Phil Franz-Warkentin, GFM Network News June 17, 2020

MarketsFarm — COVID-19 has hit the hog sector hard, with the double-edged sword of large supplies and reduced demand weighing heavily on the market. “The prospect of profitability at current forward prices and at current cash prices is nil… and there’s really no prospect of making anything this year,” said Tyler Fulton, director of risk […] Read more

Crops, Markets

CBOT weekly outlook: Spring wheat premium widening over winter wheat

Row crop futures stuck in sideways range

By Phil Franz-Warkentin, GFM Network News June 17, 2020

MarketsFarm — All eyes remain on weather conditions in U.S. grain and oilseed markets, with soybeans and corn stuck in sideways patterns while seasonal harvest pressure causes the spring wheat premium to widen over the winter wheats. The advancing winter wheat harvest has weighed on Chicago and Kansas City winter wheat contracts recently, with reports […] Read more

Canola, Crops, Markets, Weather

ICE weekly outlook: Attention on weather after short-covering rally in canola

By Phil Franz-Warkentin, GFM Network News June 11, 2020

MarketsFarm — ICE Futures canola contracts have recovered off of lows hit at the beginning of the month, with speculative short-covering a feature as attention in the markets turns to North American growing conditions. While canola ran into some resistance Wednesday, there may still be more room to the upside. Canadian canola is at a […] Read more

Prairie livestock vet named B.C.’s chief veterinarian

U.S. livestock: Hog futures weaken, cattle futures advance

Beef Breeds Council becomes arm of CCA

GFM Network News