Festive spirit misses grain markets

Festive spirit misses grain markets

Expert’s Radar: While Brazil buzzed with Carnival, estimates discouraged grain and oilseed markets

Brazilians were enjoying their most popular holiday of the year as this column went to print, celebrating Carnival with parties, parades, music, samba dancing and an all-around good time. Farmers there hopefully had a chance to partake in the festivities but were likely busy on their fields as well. Soybeans Brazil is the world’s largest

Photo: Canstock

Funds back adding to shorts in canola after month of covering

Corn traders were on the other side of the market

After a month of covering short positions, fund traders were back adding to their bearish bets to start December, with the net short position in the oilseed growing by roughly 13,000 contracts, according to the latest Commitments of Traders report from the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).



Photo: Thinkstock

China accounting for bulk of Canadian canola exports so far

Chinese wheat imports roughly half of last years' at same time

China has done most of the heavy lifting when it comes to Canadian canola exports through the first three months of the 2023/24 marketing year (Aug/Jul), according to the latest international trade data released Dec. 6. Statistics Canada reported canola exports through October at 1.566 million tonnes, with China accounting for 64 per cent of the total (1.006 million tonnes). Japan and Mexico followed at 273,300 tonnes and 196,900 tonnes respectively.


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Corn imports, larger crop prospects pressure barley

StatCan expected to raise barley crop estimate

MarketsFarm — The feed barley market in Western Canada remains relatively flat as steady corn imports from the U.S. keep domestic feeders well supplied. Ideas that Canadian production ended up above earlier expectations were also keeping a lid on the domestic market. Delivered barley into the Lethbridge, Alta. area is currently priced in the $300-$320

Green lentils. (Savany/iStock/Getty Images)

Pulse weekly outlook: Green lentils show strength, reds lag

Green lentil sales limited as farmers bullish

MarketsFarm — Green lentil bids in Western Canada are trading at their highest levels of the past year, with solid new-crop pricing opportunities already becoming available. Spot bids for large green lentils can currently be found in the 60 to 72 cents/lb. area, according to Prairie Ag Hotwire data, with new-crop contracts hitting 50 cents


(File photo by Dave Bedard)

Speculators buy back bearish canola bets in latest report

Funds reduce net long in soybeans

MarketsFarm — Fund traders were actively covering bearish bets in canola during the week ended Nov. 21, buying back some previously placed short positions, according to the latest Commitments of Traders report from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The report was delayed due to the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday. As of Nov. 21, 2023,

ICE January 2024 canola with 20- and 200-day moving averages and nine-day exponential moving average. (Barchart)

ICE weekly outlook: Purely technical canola market trending up

Activity expected thin until next week

MarketsFarm — The ICE Futures canola market moved within a wide range during the week ended Wednesday, hitting some of its best levels in a month before running into resistance at the highs. With traders in the United States moving to the sidelines for the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday, activity should be thin and choppy until


(Dave Bedard photo)

Large speculative short position in canola dips slightly

Net long in CBOT soybeans increases

MarketsFarm — The large managed money short position in canola futures dipped slightly during the week ended Nov. 14, as speculators bought back some of their bearish bets, according to the latest Commitments of Traders report from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). As of Nov. 14, the net managed money short position in

(Thinkstock photo)

Prairie cash wheat: Bids up in early November

U.S. wheat futures up on week

MarketsFarm –– Spring wheat bids in Western Canada moved higher during the week ended Thursday, as gains in U.S. futures provided support. Average Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS, 13.5 per cent) wheat prices were up by $8.80-$10.10 per tonne across the Prairies, according to price quotes from a cross-section of delivery points compiled by PDQ