MarketsFarm — Despite a number of tough challenges in 2019, one broker at the Chicago Board of Trade said the year ended on a high note. “For what we went through with China this whole year, this trade war, you had corn, wheat and soybeans close higher for the year on Dec. 31,” said Scott […] Read more
CBOT weekly outlook: 2019 ends on high note
U.S. livestock: Chinese buying drives record pork exports in November
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. pork exports in November surged to a record high for any month, according to new government data, driven by a fatal pig disease stoking a meat shortage in China. The shipments fueled expectations for more big sales to China, although U.S. hog futures slumped on Wednesday. China, the world’s largest […] Read more
U.S. grains: Prices narrowly mixed as traders assess Mideast risk
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybean and grain futures were narrowly mixed on Wednesday as traders’ jitters eased after Iran and the United States signalled a de-escalation of tensions after an Iranian missile attack against U.S. forces in Iraq. Investors also continued to square positions ahead of a key U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) crop […] Read more
Brazil to become top soybean producer, USDA says
MarketsFarm — Brazil is set to pass the United States as the world’s top producer of soybeans during the 2019-20 marketing year, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). As soybean production in both countries has risen dramatically over the last 10 years, the U.S. continued to lead the world in […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybeans slide as rain boosts South American crops
Chicago | Reuters –– U.S. soybean futures ended mostly lower on Tuesday on crop-boosting rains in South America and as investors squared positions ahead of a key U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) crop report due on Friday, although short-covering trimmed losses late in the session. Corn and wheat futures were mostly flat as late-session short […] Read more
The Year That Was: China punishes Prairie farmers
For crop growers, China’s canola seed ban was the big news story of 2019
Reading Time: 2 minutes China’s near-total ban on Canadian canola seed dominated the news cycle in the past year. “The biggest challenge we faced through 2019 was the blockage of canola seed shipments to China,” said Jim Everson, president of Canola Council of Canada. “China is, of course, a very significant market for canola seed, oil, and meal, but […] Read more
Syngenta owner ChemChina to merge ag assets with Sinochem’s
Zurich | Reuters — ChemChina and Sinochem are consolidating their agricultural assets into a new holding company to be called Syngenta Group, ChemChina unit Syngenta said on Sunday. Chen Lichtenstein, current CEO of Shenzhen-listed crop protection company Adama, which will also be incorporated into the new group, will be nominated chief financial officer of the […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybeans bounce on China trade hopes
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures recovered slightly on Monday from steep declines in the previous session as hopes for improved exports to China outweighed worries about rising tensions in the Middle East. Corn and wheat futures declined on technical selling and profit-taking from last week’s multi-month highs and as investors look ahead to […] Read more
U.S. grains: Futures weaken as Iraq strike rattles markets
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. grain and soybean futures crumbled on Friday as traders booked profits after being spooked by a U.S. air strike in Iraq that escalated geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. The strike that killed Iran’s most prominent military commander put markets on edge and opened the door for a setback a […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Hogs limit down on profit-taking, Middle East tensions
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures tumbled by the daily trading limit to a three-week low on Friday as rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East triggered profit-taking, analysts said. Losses hit markets after a U.S. air strike in Iraq killed Iran’s most prominent military commander, rattling traders of products from agricultural futures to […] Read more
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