Mexico City | Reuters — The U.S. is escalating its conflict with Mexico over agriculture biotech measures, including the stance on genetically modified (GM) corn, by requesting dispute settlement consultations, senior officials of the U.S. Trade Representative’s office said on Friday. The North American neighbours are inching closer to a full-blown trade dispute under the […] Read more

U.S. escalates dispute with Mexico over GM corn
Canada 'considering next steps'

U.S. livestock: CME cattle extend rally on surging cash market
Lean hogs follow firm trend
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures extended their run of life-of-contract highs on Friday, supported by a jump in cash cattle prices this week along with rising beef prices, traders said. Benchmark CME August live cattle futures settled up 0.525 cent at 172.9 cents/lb. after posting a contract high at 174.25 […] Read more

U.S. grains: Corn, soy up on weather worries, macroeconomic optimism
Black Sea tensions, China weather support wheat
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn and soybean futures closed higher on Friday, lifted by bargain-buying following this week’s multi-month lows, dryness in the Midwest crop belt and spillover strength from equities and crude oil, traders said. Wheat followed the firm trend, drawing additional support from weather concerns in China and tensions over a shipping […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle soar as cash prices explode
Lean hog futures mostly lower
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures surged on Thursday as cash cattle traded as high as US$180/cwt in Texas and Kansas, up to US$9 higher than last week, reflecting strong demand from meat-packers amid rising beef prices and tightening cattle supplies, traders said. CME’s most-active August live cattle futures contract settled […] Read more

Ukraine says Russia again blocking Black Sea grain export deal
Russia seeks ammonia transit via Pivdennyi
Kyiv | Reuters — Ukraine’s ministry of renovation and infrastructure said on Thursday the U.N.-brokered Black Sea grain export deal had been halted again because Russia had blocked registration of ships to all Ukrainian ports. A U.N. spokesman said Russia had informed officials overseeing the initiative that Moscow would limit registrations to the port of […] Read more

U.S. grains: Weather worries lift soybeans, new-crop corn
CBOT July wheat also climbs
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures rose on Thursday on worries about dryness building in the Midwest crop belt, while a setback in the dollar and speculative buying at the start of a new month lent additional support, analysts said. Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) wheat climbed 2.8 per cent, extending Wednesday’s rebound from […] Read more

ICE weekly outlook: Hard to know where canola will go
'Could easily make a case either way'
MarketsFarm — ICE Futures canola contracts fell hard to end the month of May, dropping to levels not seen in more than two years. While the oversold market may be due for a correction, there could also still be more room to the downside. “It’s hard to have a real solid opinion of whether we’ll […] Read more

U.S. grains: Wheat bounces off 2-1/2 year low
Corn, soy futures pare losses
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago wheat futures closed higher on Wednesday on a round of bargain buying after the benchmark July contract dipped to its lowest level in nearly 2-1/2 years, dragged down by strong competition for export business and macroeconomic worries, brokers said. Similarly, U.S. corn and soybean futures recovered from steep declines, with […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs bounce on short-covering
Cattle futures up with beef prices, tighter supplies
Chicago | Reuters — Benchmark July lean hog futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange jumped nearly five per cent on Wednesday, extending their two-day rally to 11 per cent on a round of bargain-buying following a months-long slump, traders said. CME July hogs settled up 3.8 cents at 83.325 cents/lb., while front-month June hogs ended […] Read more

U.S. grains: Wheat, corn, soy fall on uncertain demand, weather
Sagging equities, crude oil also bearish on grains
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat, corn and soybean futures tumbled on Tuesday, pressured by macroeconomic worries, strong competition for global grain export business and some forecasts for beneficial Midwest rains next month that could bolster production prospects, analysts said. “The wetter outlook removed the one factor providing stability for the grain and oilseed markets, […] Read more