Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle and lean hog futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) closed mostly lower on Tuesday as both markets were pressured by worries that wet weather around large parts of the country would disrupt demand for pork and beef. Above-normal rains are expected across much of the western and […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Hogs, cattle drop as rains seen denting grilling demand

U.S. grains: Corn touches one-year high on slow U.S. planting
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures climbed for a seventh session to their highest in a year on Tuesday as rainy weather and soggy fields across the U.S. corn belt stalled spring planting. Wheat also advanced on worries about winter crop damage due to heavy rains and flooding in the southern U.S. Plains. Soybeans […] Read more

U.S. grains: Corn nears one-year peak as rains stall planting
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures climbed for a sixth straight session on Monday and touched their highest level in nearly a year as rainy Midwest weather and waterlogged fields stoked concerns about reduced plantings and lower yields for the crop. Wheat jumped to a three-month high on delayed spring wheat planting in the […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Lean hogs end mixed as market assesses trade battles
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) closed mixed on Monday as traders weighed positive news of easing trade tensions with Mexico and Canada against signs that trade ties with China are worsening. The U.S. struck deals last week to lift tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from […] Read more

Ardent Mills to close four U.S. flour mills
Reuters — Ardent Mills will close three U.S. flour mills next month and a fourth in the first quarter of 2020, the flour miller and food ingredient maker announced Friday. The company, a joint venture between ConAgra Foods, Cargill and CHS, said the closures were necessary due to “anticipated demand and to enhance the efficiency […] Read more

Bunge moves from regional to global operating model
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. agricultural commodities trader Bunge on Wednesday overhauled its global operations and named a new chief financial officer in the latest shake-up for the 200-year-old company hard hit by a years-long grain market downturn. The moves come as Bunge reported a stronger-than-expected first-quarter profit due to higher soy crush margins in […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle fall again on lower beef, cash prices
Chicago | Reuters –– U.S. live cattle futures fell on Friday, with the actively traded Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) June contract down for a 10th straight session on sinking beef and cash cattle prices, and long liquidation by managed commodity funds. Cattle futures have been susceptible to steep drops as commodity funds had recently built […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soy down fourth straight week on export worries, big supplies
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures eased on Friday for a sixth consecutive session, posting a fourth straight weekly drop as rain-delayed U.S. corn planting may fuel a shift to more soybean acres despite sluggish export demand from top importer China. Corn edged upward for a seventh straight day and notched its first weekly […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs mixed, nearbys up on export hopes
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures ended mixed on Thursday, with nearby futures contracts building on strong gains in the previous session on expectations that China would soon sharply accelerate imports of U.S. pork. Deferred contracts were pressed down by active spread trading that featured buying of June futures and selling of October […] Read more

U.S. grains: Weak export data drags soybeans to new lows
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures posted contract lows for a fourth straight session on Thursday after weak U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) export sales data and amid ongoing concerns that rain-delayed corn sowing would increase soy plantings. Corn was mixed as spillover pressure from lower soybeans offset support stemming from concerns about delayed […] Read more