CME April 2021 lean hogs with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Pork export sales rise, profit-taking hits hog futures

Cattle futures down while beef exports up

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures ended lower on Thursday as profit-taking overshadowed strong U.S. export demand, analysts said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, in a weekly report, said weekly net U.S. pork export sales were 59,600 tonnes for 2021, up 68 per cent from the prior four-week average. Weekly export […] Read more

CME April 2021 lean hogs with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Lean hogs up on new swine fever outbreak in China

April live cattle down, feeders up

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures jumped on Wednesday as China reported a new outbreak of a deadly pig disease, raising expectations that Chinese importers could increase U.S. purchases. China’s farm ministry confirmed African swine fever in piglets being illegally transported through Funing county in the southwestern province of Yunnan. The […] Read more

CBOT May 2021 soybeans with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soy futures consolidate after gains

Excess rain in Brazil underpins soy, corn futures

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. grain and soybean futures fell on Wednesday as the markets consolidated after rallying in the previous session. Strength in the U.S. dollar weighed on prices, analysts said, because a firm dollar makes U.S. farm products less attractive to importers (all figures US$). For soybeans, there was a “lack of fresh […] Read more

CME April 2021 lean hogs with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Lean hogs down off recent gains

April live cattle end up off five-week low

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures dropped 2.7 per cent on Tuesday as the market retreated from recent surges. Profit-taking has weighed on prices since most-active April hog futures reached a life-of-contract high on Thursday. Still, traders said robust Chinese demand for pork imports is underpinning the futures market. Traders are […] Read more

CBOT May 2021 corn with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn, soy, wheat futures ease in setback from surges

Sovecon raises Russian wheat export forecast

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. grain and soybean futures eased on Monday in a setback from rallies driven by concerns about tight crop supplies. The markets will likely not decline too sharply, traders said, because of strong demand from China and the need for large global harvests. In corn, speculative bullishness in corn remains near […] Read more


CBOT May 2021 wheat with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Profit taking pressures wheat, corn, soybeans

Warmer spell also drags on winter wheat futures

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures slid 2.8 per cent on Friday, their second straight day of declines, on a profit-taking setback as warming weather in the U.S. reduced the threat of damage to the dormant crop, traders said. Corn and soybean futures also were weaker but closed well above session […] Read more


(Bob_bosewell/iStock/Getty Images)

Farmers’ net cash income improves as crop prices soar

Winnipeg | Reuters — Canadian farmers reaped record profits last year and are on track to do the same this year, the federal agriculture ministry said on Thursday, as prices for its top crops soared. Prices of canola hit all-time highs this month, rallying with oilseed rival soybeans, on brisk Chinese buying to produce feed […] Read more


File photo of a rye field in Kazakhstan. (Stsmhn/iStock/Getty Images)

Kazakhstan’s president orders ban on foreign ownership of farmland

Almaty | Reuters — Kazakhstan will permanently ban foreigners from owning or renting farmland in the vast central Asian nation, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Thursday, ending a lengthy dispute that once prompted anti-government protests. Kazakhstan is a major producer of grains, oilseeds and meat in the former Soviet region sandwiched between China and Russia […] Read more

CME April 2021 lean hogs with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hog futures limit-up to highest since May 2019

Cattle futures bounce on bargain buying

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures rose their daily limit on Wednesday, hitting their highest in nearly two years on tight frozen stocks and expectations for strong Chinese demand, traders said. The U.S. Agriculture Department’s cold storage report issued on Tuesday afternoon fueled buying on Wednesday. “Belly and trim stocks are at four-year […] Read more