Chicago | Reuters — Global commodities trader Cargill reported a three per cent increase in adjusted quarterly profit on Thursday, citing strong consumer demand for meat and eggs in North America and growth in its animal nutrition businesses. Cargill, the largest privately held U.S. company, said its adjusted operating earnings rose to $908 million in […] Read more

Cargill’s quarterly profit up on beef, egg demand

U.S. grains: Soybeans slip on weather, Chinese buying concerns
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybean futures fell on Wednesday as investors worried U.S.-China trade relations could escalate and as thoughts of frost impacting U.S. Midwest yields began to ease, traders said. Soybean futures faced pressure after President Donald Trump criticized Chinese policy in his address at the United Nations on Tuesday, reviving worries that […] Read more

Trump trade-war aid sows frustration in farm country
Rochester, Minnesota | Reuters — The U.S. government is paying Texas cotton farmer J. Walt Hagood US$145 an acre for losses related to U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade policies. But Minnesota soybean farmer Betsy Jensen will get just US$35 an acre. Both farmers’ sales have taken heavy blows in Trump’s trade war with China. Neither […] Read more

Farmer’s threat prompts USDA to pull staff from crop tour
Henry County/Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. Agriculture Department said on Wednesday it had pulled all staff from an annual crop tour after an employee was threatened, and three sources said the threat came over the phone from an angry farmer. Farmers have complained this month that a government crop report did not reflect damage […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Hog futures swing wildly as trade war intensifies
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) livestock futures swung wildly on Monday, with the most-active October lean hog futures going nearly limit-up and -down in the same trading session, amid growing tensions in the U.S.-China trade war. China’s commerce ministry said that Chinese companies have stopped buying U.S. agricultural products, and that China […] Read more

U.S. grains: Corn futures rally on weather concerns
Chicago | Reuters — Volatility roiled the commodity grain futures markets on Monday, as uncertainty in the U.S. weather forecast supported corn and the growing tensions in the U.S.-China trade war weighed on soybeans. Wheat futures ended the day up on technical buying, traders said. China’s commerce ministry said that Chinese companies have stopped buying […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures end week nearly flat, as hog futures inch up
Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) live cattle futures ended the week near previous levels, as funds took some profits on deferred cattle positions and cash trade remained light. Cash cattle prices were steady to up $1 in Iowa and Nebraska on Friday, with prices at $114 to $116, traders said. Meanwhile, hog […] Read more

U.S. grains: Corn futures ease as weak exports offset crop concerns
Chicago | Reuters – U.S. grain and soybean futures all ended the week lower, with corn futures falling for a third straight session on Friday, as traders reacted to sluggish U.S. export data and forecasts called for milder growing weather over the weekend. But traders said they were starting to doubt that much of the […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Futures mixed as hog futures rally chills
Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) livestock futures had a mixed day of trading on Thursday as a dearth of cash trade fueled more selling of nearby live cattle contracts and buying of the deferred months, traders said. The recent rally on hog futures continued to cool, as the market corrected after a […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Futures mixed as rally on hog futures slows
Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) livestock futures ended the day mixed, with a lack of buying interest and light cash trade prompting dealers on Wednesday to sell their nearby live cattle contracts and buy the deferred months, traders said. Meanwhile, hog traders also took a cue from the cash market, as signs of an […] Read more