
U.S. grains: Wheat retreats after Russia worries lift market
Wheat down off four-month peak; corn and soybeans also retreat
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago wheat futures declined on Monday in a technical and profit-taking retreat after concerns about political stability in major exporter Russia had lifted prices earlier to four-month highs. Corn ended mixed and soybeans closed below session highs as milder temperatures and crop-boosting rains in parts of the U.S. Midwest over the […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Live cattle weak on large May placements
Slowing beef demand also a factor
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures ended flat to lower on Monday on larger-than-expected feedlot placements in May and expectations for slower demand for beef for outdoor grilling following the U.S. Independence Day holiday. Sharply higher feed corn prices early in Monday’s trading session weighed on the live and feeder cattle […] Read more

Bunge deal for Viterra to boost oilseed dominance, renewable diesel potential
Canada's Competition Bureau pledges to review deal
Chicago | Reuters — Bunge’s planned acquisition of Viterra would make the world’s biggest oilseed crusher even more dominant and secure a larger role in the expanding renewable diesel industry, although it may face competition hurdles. Under the deal to create an agricultural giant worth about $34 billion including debt, Bunge’s crushing capacity will increase […] Read more

Bunge, Viterra merger would create global ag trading giant
Companies have some overlap in Canadian crushing
Reuters — A merger of U.S. grains merchant Bunge Ltd. with rival Viterra would grow the combined entity’s businesses in the U.S., Brazil and Australia and may raise competition concerns in parts of Canada and Argentina, where key oilseed processing assets overlap, analysts said. Sources last week said Bunge and Viterra were in talks for […] Read more

U.S. grains: Wheat futures sink on rains, global supplies
U.S. winter wheat conditions likely improved in past week
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures tumbled to fresh lows on Monday on ample world supplies, sluggish U.S. export demand and beneficial rains in key production areas of the Plains and Midwest. Corn futures slumped on forecasts for favourable Midwest planting weather and lagging U.S. export sales, while soybeans edged higher in a technical […] Read more

U.S. farmers aim to plant more corn, soy in 2023, but delays likely
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. farmers are aiming to expand plantings of corn, wheat and soybeans this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said in a prospective plantings report on Friday, as the ongoing war in Ukraine keeps global supplies tight. But adverse planting conditions are likely to trim back the expansion in some […] Read more

Cargill plans to halt grain export activities in Russia
Viterra also set to halt grain trading in Russia, sources say
Moscow/Chicago | Reuters — Cargill said Wednesday it would take a further step back from the Russian market by stopping handling Russian grain from its export terminal from July, although its shipping unit will continue to carry grain from Russian ports. Most international grain traders have stopped new investment in Russia since last year following […] Read more

BASF halting hybrid wheat seed development in North America
Results 'have not achieved development goals we set'
Reuters — Global chemicals and crop seeds company BASF is halting development of hybrid wheat in North America after results of seed trials failed to reach development goals, the company told Reuters on Wednesday. BASF will instead focus development of the new type of wheat in European markets, aiming to launch the technology there “toward […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle end firm on tight supplies, lower weights
Hogs mixed on weak cash prices, higher cutout
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures ended mostly firm on Friday, underpinned by tight supplies and as harsh winter weather in recent weeks lowered cattle slaughter weights and limited beef production, traders said. Live cattle futures prices remained bound in a recent trading range as cash cattle prices at Plains feedlot […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soy, corn rise on smaller U.S. harvest, Argentina drought worries
U.S. markets closed Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures climbed for a third straight day on Friday and corn scaled to a 1-1/2 week top on follow-through buying after bullish U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) crop data the prior day and concerns about poor South American weather. Both markets gained more than two per cent since USDA […] Read more