Chicago/Washington | Reuters — U.S. government officials on Thursday hailed China’s first meager purchase of U.S. soybeans since its trade war with the United States began in July and said they hoped for, but could not guarantee, more to come. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced private sales of 1.13 million tonnes of U.S. […] Read more

U.S. confirms China soybean purchase, but no clarity over more sales

U.S. grains: Soybeans rise as China buys U.S. supplies
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures hit a 4-1/2-month high on Wednesday as China bought U.S. soybeans for the first time since U.S. President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping met in early December. State-owned Chinese companies bought at least 500,000 tonnes of U.S. soybeans, two U.S. traders said, in deals valued […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soy climbs on hopes for China buying
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures closed higher on Tuesday as traders anticipated potential Chinese purchases of U.S. agricultural products, and shrugged off a bearish monthly global soy inventories report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Corn firmed, led by soybeans, but wheat futures fell after USDA raised its forecasts of U.S. and global […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soy, wheat decline on persistent demand worries
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soy and wheat futures fell on Monday on positioning ahead of a monthly U.S. Department of Agriculture crop supply/demand report and uncertainty about the ongoing U.S.-China trade dispute, traders said. A higher dollar added pressure, making U.S. grains less competitive on global markets. Corn followed the weak trend but found […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle futures up slightly
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle futures closed modestly higher on Friday on short-covering after a four-session slide and concern that wintry weather in the central Plains in the coming days could slow cattle weight gain, traders said. Lean hog futures were mixed as traders awaited news on U.S.-China trade talks expected this weekend as […] Read more

U.S. grains: Wheat, soy, corn climb
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures rose about 1.5 per cent Friday on firming cash markets, analysts said, while soybeans and corn firmed ahead of hotly anticipated U.S.-China trade talks at this week’s G20 summit in Argentina. The G20 meeting is to include head-to-head discussions between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese counterpart Xi […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Hogs bounce on news of pork sales to China
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures jumped more than four per cent on Thursday after the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s weekly export sales report showed that China last week placed its largest order for U.S. pork since February, traders said. The purchases are a signal that an outbreak of African swine fever in […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soybeans pause after two-day rise
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures eased on Thursday as traders booked profits after prices hit a near two-week high in the previous session, ahead of trade talks between Washington and Beijing at the G20 meeting. Wheat futures declined on lacklustre U.S. export sales while corn ended nearly unchanged. Chicago Board of Trade January […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Lean hogs sag on technical selling, soft cash
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures closed mostly lower on Wednesday, with the benchmark February contract declining for a third straight session on technical selling and weak cash values, traders said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange February lean hog futures settled down 0.55 cent at 64.5 cents/lb. after the contract dipped below its 50-day moving […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soy climbs on short-covering ahead of trade talks
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures rose on Wednesday on short-covering as investors waited to see if expected talks between Washington and Beijing at a G20 summit this week will defuse a trade dispute that has choked U.S. soybean exports to China. Corn and wheat followed the firm tone, drawing additional support from a […] Read more