Electronic trading the pits, traders say

Electronic trading of grains is now dominating markets that not long ago were the last bastion of arm-waving, shouting pit brokers, but the easy access to prices and speed has come at a price – wild market swings and lack of trust that is driving away users. The focus of the controversy on the Chicago

Volatile farm prices a worry

EU regulators should discuss with United States authorities ways to curb volatility in agricultural commodity markets so as to avoid unwanted buildups in speculative positions, a draft paper showed Nov. 26. The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm and author of the document, said it would examine the possibility of taking regulatory initiatives in this


Crisis remakes the commodity business

Only the brave or the foolish would make predictions about the future amid the biggest market upheaval in three generations. But it is already clear the crisis is profoundly reshaping the commodity trading industry. The mix of intermediaries, customers and financial resources are all being substantially redrawn. So here are some tentative thoughts on how

Fertilizer prices breach line of support

The news is always the most bullish at the top. In the last month or two we have all heard the news about higher fertilizer prices. Let’s take a look at this market from both a technical and fundamental perspective now that world fertilizer prices are easing. You may not be aware, but it is


V-Tops cap rallies

V-Tops are one of the most difficult chart patterns to analyze because of the suddenness in which they form. A V-Top indicates a trend reversal, with dynamic and substantial price drops often occurring with the formation of this pattern. V-Tops have three essential components: 1) Prices must be in an uptrend, with a near vertical