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Hog sector to focus on margins in face of outside volatility

'Counter-cyclical' moves seen in markets

MarketsFarm — The hog sector has found itself caught up in the general uncertainty of many commodity and financial markets — making it more difficult than normal to predict where values could be headed. “We’re seeing a ton of volatility and it feels like we’re in a bit of transition on supply versus expectations,” said


We don’t know exactly how interest rate trends will evolve nor what the consequences will be. – David Derwin.

As the calendar turns

2020 illustrated volatility in stunning fashion for market watchers

It’s that time of year again, as another calendar page turns. I’m sure we’re glad to see the end to this year, although that doesn’t mean things have magically changed on January 1. At least now we can take a look back with a better understanding of where we’ve been to help figure out where

Volatility is more of a mathematical definition of how much a market will likely move in the future based on past fluctuations.

Volatile times need a market strategy

Think of these tools as an insurance policy where you pay a fee to avoid risks

Given what’s happened in the markets in the past couple of months, it’s a good time to revisit risk: how to think about it, how to manage it and its practical impact on marketing and hedging. As the coronavirus was unleashing its effects on the markets, I was also reading an interesting book called An





Derwin: Dollar direction signals hard to decipher

Derwin: Dollar direction signals hard to decipher

Every week the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) releases its Commitments of Traders (COT) report. But just how committed are the traders shown in those trading activity reports? When you look at what traders can also do in the cash, over-the-counter and physical markets associated with those futures contracts, it’s difficult to say for sure. This

Corn has recently been under pressure from big crop pegs out of South America and chart-based selling, as well as general uncertainty in the markets over the future of U.S.-China trade.

Comment: Long positions on corn liquidated

Funds sold their entire CBOT corn long position undetected during U.S. govt. shutdown

Within the span of six weeks, commodity funds dumped bullish bets in Chicago-traded corn futures and options without the market’s knowledge. Market participants were under the impression that speculators closed out January relatively optimistic toward the grains. However, data from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) confirmed otherwise on Feb. 19. Hedge funds and


(Giuseppe Carotenuto photo courtesy FAO)

Canada’s ag output seen likely rising under climate change

CNS Canada — A new United Nations report suggests just how climate change will reshape agriculture by 2050 — and that Canada’s production capacity stands to benefit. International trade will play an ever-larger role in helping to feed people in food-deficient regions, as warmer temperatures and less precipitation will damage yields in many tropical areas,

Saskatchewan farming prices – in 2016 dollars per acre.

Risk and volatility not necessarily same

Hedging Your Bets: Current canola and farmland prices are examples of markets at risk of a sudden change

When thinking about risk, there can be a lot of different interpretations. Risk does not have to mean volatility but the two tend to work in conjunction. One way to define risk is ‘the consequence of not meeting your goals.’ One of my favourite authors on the topic of market risk and practical trading ideas