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CBOT weekly outlook: U.S. interest rate decision could shake futures

Heat in forecast keeping U.S. corn supported

MarketsFarm — Commodity prices on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) were certainly affected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) monthly supply/demand estimates released last Friday — but may be shaken again after the U.S. Federal Reserve decided to raise its key interest rate by 0.75 of a point. Ryan Ettner, a commodity broker […] Read more

Bottom line, the fluctuations of stocks, bonds, currencies and commodities during periods of rising interest rates are not always as dramatic as you might think.

How widespread will interest rate fallout be?

Looking at economic history, the effects aren’t always as dramatic as you might think

Reading Time: 3 minutes Take a moment to imagine what the world and your business would look like if interest rates were at four per cent — or even six per cent — instead of two per cent. Everyone has been talking about inflation and interest rates and yield curve inversions lately, so what does it all mean? While […] Read more


A Russian army service member fires a howitzer during drills at the Kuzminsky range in Russia’s southern Rostov region on Jan. 26, 2022. (Photo: Reuters/Sergey Pivovarov)

CBOT weekly outlook: Potential for conflict, interest rate hikes affects prices

MarketsFarm — The ongoing standoff between Russia and the West over Ukraine, along with speculation regarding key interest rates from the U.S. Federal Reserve, were two major factors on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) during the week ended Wednesday. The potential for a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine had caused a sharp hike in […] Read more

The increase in farmland prices in the first half of the year was normal, but price rises may slow because of the drought.

Land Prices: Interest still high, pocketbooks thinner

Scarce listings get a lot of looks, but drought may curb price rises

Reading Time: 4 minutes The hot weather this summer may cool the price rise for Alberta farmland this winter — but there are still plenty of farmers looking to add acres, say experts. Prior to the drought, the increase in land prices was typical for the first half of the year, said Kuuri Carlson, an appraiser with Farm Credit […] Read more


CBOT July 2021 corn (candlesticks) with CBOT July 2021 wheat (orange line) and July 2021 soybeans (dark green line, left column). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn, soy, wheat up after sell-off

Some traders feel Thursday's sell-off overdone

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn, soybean and wheat futures rose sharply on Friday, rebounding from steep declines a day earlier on bargain-buying ahead of the weekend and uncertainty about weather in the Midwest crop belt, analysts said. Fresh export interest lent support as this week’s break in futures appeared to stimulate demand. Chinese state-owned […] Read more

CBOT July 2021 corn (candlesticks) with MGEX, CBOT and K.C. July 2021 wheat (green, black and orange lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn, soy plunge on weather, broad commodities sell-off

CBOT wheat follows trend lower

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn and soybean futures fell sharply on Thursday, pressured by outlooks for rain and cooler temperatures in the Midwest crop belt, as well as spillover from broad-based selling in the commodities sector, analysts said. Wheat followed the weaker trend, with seasonal pressure noted from the U.S. winter wheat harvest. Chicago […] Read more


CME August 2021 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, brown and black lines) and August 2021 live cattle (dark red open/high/low/close). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hogs limit down for second consecutive day

CME August cattle end lower

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) lean hog futures fell by an exchange-imposed limit for a second consecutive session on Thursday as commodities declined broadly. Selling by index funds fueled losses in markets from hogs to cattle and corn, after the U.S. Federal Reserve signaled it might raise interest rates sooner than expected, […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Farmland appreciation continues through pandemic year

FCC report puts Canada's average land value increase at 5.4 per cent

Economic churn across Canada from the global COVID-19 pandemic didn’t faze the country’s real estate market — nor its farmland market in particular — in 2020, according to the latest review from the federal farm lending agency. Farm Credit Canada on Monday released its 2020 Farmland Values report, showing an average increase of 5.4 per […] Read more



(Dave Bedard photo)

Report shows slower pace for rising farmland values

While lower-valued farmland more often showed a higher rate of increase, and price hikes varied from region to region, Canada’s farmland values on average have booked their slowest year-over-year rate of increase in almost a decade. That’s according to the annual Farmland Values Report from Farm Credit Canada (FCC), in which the federal ag lending […] Read more