Chicago | Reuters — Forecasts for crop-boosting weather in key growing areas of the U.S. Midwest pushed corn and soybean futures to multi-month lows on Thursday, traders said. Wheat futures also were sharply lower, their second straight day of steep declines, with investors continuing to push back against a sharp rally on Tuesday amid abundant […] Read more

U.S. grains: Corn, soy drop to multi-month lows as weather improves

U.S. grains: CBOT wheat, soybeans post sharp losses
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean and wheat futures fell sharply on Wednesday, with wheat sinking 3.2 per cent and soybean futures hitting their lowest in more than nine months. Traders said that long liquidation by investment funds triggered the sell-off. Concerns about trade with China sparked the bearish wave in soybeans while wheat was […] Read more

U.S. EPA chief hints he could order more ethanol in fuel
New York | Reuters — A week after the White House suspended its bid to reform the nation’s biofuels policy to aid oil refiners, the head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday dangled a tantalizing prospect to Midwest corn farmers, saying the agency has the power to expand sales of higher-ethanol gasoline blends. […] Read more

U.S. grains: Wheat surges after USDA cuts Russian output estimate
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures surged nearly four per cent for the biggest gains in about a month on Tuesday after the U.S. Department of Agriculture slashed its estimate for production in top exporter Russia. Corn futures jumped over two per cent while soybeans notched more modest gains in the wake of the […] Read more

U.S. EPA chief hints he could order more ethanol in fuel
New York | Reuters — A week after the White House suspended its bid to reform the nation’s biofuels policy to aid oil refiners, the head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday dangled a tantalizing prospect to Midwest corn farmers, saying the agency has the power to expand sales of higher-ethanol gasoline blends. […] Read more

U.S. grains: Corn, soy drop to new lows as rains soak Midwest
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn and soybean futures dropped to fresh multi-month lows on Monday as widespread rains across the Midwest farm belt bolstered production outlooks for recently planted crops. Wheat futures also eased as rainfall in Western Australia took the edge off global weather worries, although declines were limited as dry weather persisted […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soybeans slump on trade worries, good weather
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures slid for a fifth straight session on Friday and registered the steepest weekly decline in 10 months as favourable U.S. crop weather and concerns over slowing export trade weighed on prices. Corn futures edged up on short-covering after dipping to multi-month lows on good Midwest crop weather. Wheat […] Read more

Ontario ag minister downed in Tories’ election win
The Ontario Liberals’ minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs is among the election-night casualties as the province’s Progressive Conservatives get set to form a majority government. As of midnight CT Friday, Doug Ford’s Tories were elected or leading in 76 of 124 ridings, followed by Andrea Horwath’s New Democrats in 40 and Kathleen Wynne’s […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soybeans, corn slide on weather
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures fell about two per cent on Thursday, with the new-crop November contract dropping below psychological support at US$10 a bushel, on favourable crop weather and fund-driven long liquidation, analysts said. Corn futures followed soybeans lower while wheat rose, supported by poor weather in several global production areas that […] Read more

CP conductors, engineers to get nine per cent raise over four years
Montreal | Reuters — Canadian Pacific Railway conductors and locomotive engineers will get a nine per cent salary hike over four years as part of a tentative agreement reached last week with the Teamsters, spokesmen from both the union and CP said on Wednesday. The agreement, which must first be ratified by members to go […] Read more