U.S. wheat futures rose more than one per cent on Wednesday as signs of a hardening conflict between Ukraine and Russia and worries about dryness in China appeared to spark a round of short-covering, analysts said.
U.S. soybean futures hit a two-week low on Wednesday and soyoil futures fell more than three per cent on expectations for plentiful South American soy harvests this year along with uncertainty about demand for soy-based biodiesel fuel, analysts said.
Chicago Board of Trade soybean futures climbed to a one-week high on Thursday on optimism about the U.S. trade relationship with China, the world's largest soybean buyer, after leaders of the two countries spoke by phone for more than an hour.
Chicago Board of Trade soybean futures ended mixed on Monday, with nearby contracts under pressure after quarterly stocks data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture showed larger-than-expected supplies as of June 1, analysts said.
Chicago Board of Trade soybean and corn futures drifted lower on Wednesday as initial optimism faded over the U.S. and China agreeing on the framework of a trade truce, and market players shifted their focus back to benign crop weather, analysts said.
Chicago wheat futures fell to their lowest level in more than a week on Tuesday as improving U.S. crop condition ratings and seasonal pressure overshadowed early harvest delays and drought in Russia, traders said.
U.S. wheat futures fell about two per cent on Monday on seasonal pressure from the start of the Northern Hemisphere winter wheat harvest and corn futures sagged on mostly favorable crop weather, traders said.
Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) live cattle futures ended higher on Friday, buoyed by rising wholesale beef prices and firm cash cattle markets, traders said.
Chicago Board of Trade soybean futures closed higher on Tuesday, supported by rising crude oil prices and uncertainty about Midwest crop weather in the weeks ahead, while soyoil prices eased following a sharp two-day rally tied to stronger U.S. biofuel blending mandates.
U.S. soyoil futures hit their highest in 20 months on Monday, supported by U.S. biofuel blending proposals that are likely to increase demand, while soybean futures touched a one-month high before paring gains.