Cargo ship Despina V, carrying Ukrainian grain, is seen in the Black Sea off Kilyos near Istanbul, Turkey on Nov. 2, 2022.  (Photo: Reuters/Umit Bektas)

Russia says sanctions a barrier to Black Sea grain deal renewal

Reuters — Russia said Monday it would be “inappropriate” to extend the Black Sea grain deal unless sanctions affecting its agricultural exports are lifted and other issues are resolved. The Black Sea Grain Initiative, signed by Russia and Ukraine last July, created a safe corridor to allow grain to be exported from Ukrainian ports blockaded […] Read more

CBOT March 2023 soybean meal with 20- and 100-day moving averages (yellow and green lines, right column) and CBOT March 2023 soybeans (blue line, left column). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soymeal touches highest since 2014

Spec buying, Argentina weather lifts meal futures; CBOT March corn, wheat, soybeans also up

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soymeal futures hit their highest in almost nine years on Monday on speculative buying and uncertainty about crop prospects in Argentina, despite recent rains, analysts said. Surging soymeal values lifted soybean futures, while corn and wheat rose on worries about the future of Ukraine’s safe shipping channel for grain exports. […] Read more


CBOT March 2023 soft red winter wheat with Bollinger bands (20,2), MGEX March 2023 hard red spring wheat (yellow line) and K.C. March 2023 hard red winter wheat (orange line). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat strong on concerns about Ukraine, Russian exports

Chicago corn, soy futures rise

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures rallied on Friday, supported by concerns the grain deal allowing for Russian and Ukraine exports from Black Sea ports could splinter amid escalations in the nearly year-long war between the two countries, traders said. Corn and soybean futures also were strong, with corn following the gains in wheat […] Read more

ICE March 2023 canola with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

ICE weekly outlook: Choppy trading for canola, other oilseeds

Signals not pointing to course change for now

MarketsFarm — Expect canola and other oilseed markets to remain choppy for the time being, according to trader Ken Ball of PI Financial in Winnipeg. “All of the markets are very choppy and erratic. They’re very nervous markets,” Ball emphasized, noting war in Ukraine and drought in Argentina are having some of the biggest impacts […] Read more


Close-up of a McDonald’s double Quarter Pounder with bacon. (Corporate.mcdonalds.com)

McDonald’s reported set to exit Kazakhstan on Russia war spillover

Reuters — McDonald’s Corp. is set to abandon Kazakhstan as disruptions triggered by the Ukraine crisis have left the nation without a substitute for Russian meat supplies, Bloomberg News reported Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The fast-food giant, which exited Russia in May, banned its local franchisee from procuring meat patties from Russian […] Read more

File photo of barley being loaded for export at the Black Sea port of Mykolaiv, Ukraine on July 9, 2013. (Photo: Reuters/Vincent Mundy)

Ship insurers to cancel war cover for Russia, Ukraine from Jan. 1

London | Reuters — Ship insurers said they are cancelling war risk cover across Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, following an exit from the region by reinsurers in the face of steep losses. Reinsurers, who insure the insurers, typically renew their 12-month contracts with insurance clients on Jan. 1, giving them the first opportunity to scale […] Read more


(Laura Rance photo)

Corteva cuts U.S. jobs while exiting Russia

California plant produces seed for sunflower growers

Chicago | Reuters — Seeds and pesticides company Corteva will eliminate U.S. jobs next year, as its exit from Russia reduces demand for its commercial sunflower seeds produced in California, the company said on Monday. Corteva will cut 51 positions from a Woodland, California facility, run by its Pioneer Hi-Bred International subsidiary, that supplied Europe […] Read more

CBOT March 2023 corn with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn, wheat futures fall on fund selling

Soybean futures rise

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn and wheat futures dipped on Friday, with concerns about a weakening global economy deterring traders from extending gains made earlier this week. “Fund managers continue to interpret their supply and demand fundamentals through a lens coloured by recession fears,” Arlan Suderman, chief commodities economist at brokerage StoneX, said in […] Read more


CBOT March 2023 soybeans with 10-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soybean futures rise

Chicago wheat, corn values fall

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures rose on Tuesday, supported by a round of bargain buying after two days of losses as well as signs that export demand remains strong, traders said. Corn and wheat futures weakened on a round of profit taking after hitting 10-day highs early in the session, with light demand […] Read more

CBOT March 2023 soft red winter wheat with 20-day moving average (green line), MGEX March 2023 hard red spring wheat (yellow line) and K.C. March 2023 hard red winter wheat (orange line). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat, corn up on Black Sea export concerns

Chicago January soy falls

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat and corn futures rallied on Monday after a weekend attack that temporarily shut down key port for Ukrainian exports raised concerns about disruptions to grain shipments, traders said. Soybean futures dropped following rains in Argentina that alleviated concerns about crop shortfalls from that key export country. News that the […] Read more