Chicago corn and wheat futures ticked down on Thursday following lackluster export sales data released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Soybeans were dragged along for the ride despite more encouraging numbers, said analysts.
Argentine farmers have begun abandoning some wheat fields due to an extended lack of rainfall in certain parts of its agricultural heartland, the Buenos Aires grains exchange said in a weekly report on Thursday.
Canadian purchases of corn from the United States are off to a slow start in the 2024-25 marketing year, with ample old crop barley supplies likely limiting demand.
Soybean futures climbed on Wednesday on a round of short covering sparked by concerns over hot, dry weather in top producer Brazil that may threaten soybean seeding, traders said.
As price movement in soybeans on the Chicago Board of Trade continued to be a tussle between dry conditions in Brazil versus pressure from the United States harvest, Sean Lusk, vice-president of Walsh Commercial Hedging in Chicago, suggested not to pay much attention to any trade action China might soon take against U.S. soybeans.
Chicago wheat futures eased on Tuesday as geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine faded into the background and brisk exports of Black Sea wheat continued to pose tough competition to U.S. wheat exports, traders said.
Chicago wheat futures dipped from three-month highs on Monday on profit taking following the previous week's rally sparked by crop concerns in Europe and escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine, traders said.
Managed money fund traders added to their large net short position in canola in early September, while profit-taking saw a reduction in the bearish bets for soybeans and corn in Chicago, according to the latest Commitments of Traders report.
Hot and dry weather saw crop conditions decline across much of Western Canada over the past month, with the latest model-based production estimates from Statistics Canada showing downward revisions in both canola and wheat production from the August report.
Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures reached a 12-week high on Friday as escalating tensions in Russia's war with Ukraine increased uncertainty about Black Sea exports.