Grain traders turn gaze southward

Most of the Canadian Prairies were blanketed with snow during the last week of October, which likely had many people dreaming of vacations to warmer climates to the south. With the Canadian harvest all but wrapped up, and the United States in its final stages, the grain markets are also shifting their attention southward. Argentina[...]

Reading the roadmaps of the grain market

I recently drove back and forth from Winnipeg to the Turtle Mountains in southwestern Manitoba. It’s about a three-hour drive, or three-and-a-half with the required ice cream stop. There are a few routes that head in the same general direction, so after running into construction on Highway 2 on the way down, we opted for[...]


High prices drawing cows to market early

Activity may have slowed for the summer at Manitoba’s cattle auction yards, but optimism is high, with strong prices expected when the fall run eventually gets underway. Only a handful of sales took place during the last week of June, with many auctions closed for the season or operating at a reduced schedule. However, prices[...]

Wheat market breaks dormancy

After a long winter, plants are starting to shoot up. Similar activity can be seen in the wheat market. Values broke dormancy during the week ended April 26. Charts: Minneapolis spring wheat gained 55 cents per bushel in the span of a week, while Kansas City hard red winter wheat was up by 65 cents.[...]


Canada’s grain exports remain brisk

Harvest operations are wrapping up across the Prairies and attention in grain markets is turning to outside influences. Exports Canadian canola exports were running at a solid pace through the first 10 weeks of the 2023-24 marketing year, but that pace will be hard to maintain. Production was down on the year and more of[...]

Price trenches remain despite weather, projected plantings

North American grain and oilseed markets were up and down during the last full week of February, holding relatively rangebound overall. News of a frost in Argentina sent soybean, corn and canola values climbing higher on Feb. 21, as crop estimates out of the drought-stricken country continue to be revised lower. However, the immediate bullish reaction quickly subsided, and most[...]


U.S. renewable fuel mandate muddies demand outlook

After trending higher for all of June, the ICE Futures canola market finally ran into resistance as the calendar officially switched to summer. Weather was at the forefront of all the North American agricultural markets, closely followed by a much-anticipated biofuel announcement from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. From a chart standpoint, the new-crop November[...]

Can canola markets find traction?

The slow pace of Canadian canola exports is an ongoing issue, with lack of offshore movement a heavy weight on the market. However, the crop may finally find traction on the export front.
 AAFC projections: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada released updated supply/demand tables May 21, cutting its call for 2023-24 canola exports to six million[...]


Betting on grain markets

As a casual hockey fan who only pays real attention once the playoffs roll around, it’s been interesting to see the sheer number of sports betting ads, and even commentary, now that gambling on the outcome of individual games is legal in Canada. There are many ways to bet on sports. While simply picking which[...]

What’s putting pressure on canola?

After attempting to show strength for most of March and early April, the canola futures market took some hits, with the bias shifting lower once again. Old/new crop spread: Tightening stocks and the need to secure deliveries ahead of new crop availability often see old crop canola contracts trade at a premium to new crop[...]