Frustrated oat buyers have been bidding up prices on old oat reserves as new oat supplies must wait in line in the grain-movement network
Oat futures have been on a tear lately, jumping more than 20 cents a bushel, or 6.6 per cent, since the start of the month on concerns logistical log-jams will stall the movement of new oat supplies for several weeks. That’s seen many traders putting on a long oats versus short Chicago wheat spread that
Oats hit the sweet spot due to grain movement logjam
Analysis: Speculators, commercials in rare corn position tango
Usually, large speculators and commercial traders take opposing positions in the corn futures and options market, with speculators favoring long exposure while commercials typically sit heavily short in reflection of their naturally long stance in the physical arena. But this year’s critically low levels of domestic corn supplies have forced commercial players to whittle down
Analysis: China, Egypt import tussle could reignite wheat market
China and Egypt look set to duke it out for top spot on the world wheat import rankings in 2013. Frost and heavy rains shaved millions of tonnes off the Chinese wheat crop this year and traditional number one importer Egypt finally regained access to sufficient financial resources to resume wheat imports following two years
Analysis: Options plays show most traders are bearish on beans
New-crop November soybean futures prices have been in a holding pattern lately on either side of $12.50 a bushel as market participants bide their time ahead of the 2013 crop’s most critical and rain-dependent developmental phase during the first half of August. But judging by the fact that there are nearly four times as many
Short covering surge could boost U.S. wheat
The U.S. Department of Agriculture just upwardly revised U.S. wheat production prospects on the back of better-than-expected yield reports emerging from the ongoing U.S. harvest. But even as harvest progress continues to weigh on near-term market sentiment, wheat prices are at risk of pushing higher as global demand prospects pick up and jittery short-biased speculative
U.S. corn prospects threatened as drought lingers in the west
Most of the top corn-producing states in the western half of the Midwest are suffering from much worse drought conditions than a year ago and so are heading into the spring planting season with historically dry soils
Reuters / The recent spell of rain and snow across much of the United States has raised expectations that overall field conditions are recovering from last year’s drought and that the crops planted this spring will get off to a strong start with access to adequate moisture reserves. But despite appearances, the grip of lastTraders prepare to go long lean hogs
The lean hog market is approaching a well-defined seasonal bottom that usually occurs during the opening half of April, and a number of traders are gearing up to go long that commodity over the coming weeks. They hope to be in position ahead of any upturn in values fuelled by a drop in fresh meat
Corn area under threat as key states look to more profitable soybeans
The corn market’s consistent outperformance of soybeans so far in 2013 has helped cement expectations that overall corn planted area within the United States will see a year-over-year increase across all major corn-growing states at the expense of soybeans and other crops. But there are some key states where soybeans have gotten the upper hand
2013 not a good year to be sports party host
Reuters / Calendars tend to get crammed around this time of year with parties for various televised sporting events that invariably involve classic and nutritious American staples such as chicken wings, chili and potato chips — washed down by a beer or two. But this year, stocking a house full of such goodies could break
Have U.S. corn farmers lost their edge?
For the first time on record, U.S. farmers have fallen out of the top two-yielding corn and soybean producers in the world after drought conditions dented production of both crops. The USDA says 2012-13 corn yields in Argentina and Canada will both top the 123.4 bushels an acre averaged in the U.S., while soybean growers
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