The Red River, shown here at Winnipeg, forms most of the border between North Dakota and Minnesota as it flows northward into southern Manitoba and Lake Winnipeg. (File photo by Dave Bedard)

Trump administration scales back U.S. water protections

Washington | Reuters — The Trump administration finalized a rule on Thursday to pare back the types of waterways protected from pollution under federal law, easing burdens on industries such as agriculture and mining but angering environmental groups. The Navigable Waters Protection Rule could win political points ahead of the November election for Republican President […] Read more


Canada/U.S. border signage in downtown Detroit. (RiverNorthPhotography/Getty Images)

U.S. Senate passes CUSMA trade deal

Washington | Reuters — The U.S. Senate on Thursday approved a revamp of the 26-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement that includes tougher rules on labour and automotive content but leaves US$1.2 trillion in annual U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade flows largely unchanged. The legislation for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (CUSMA) passed on an 89-10 bipartisan vote, sending the […] Read more

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CBOT weekly outlook: Trading cautious on Phase One pact

MarketsFarm — Though China and the United States signed their Phase One trade deal on Wednesday, commodity markets remained “extremely cautious,” according to one analyst. Prices were muted at midday following a signing ceremony at the White House, due to the lack of public details regarding the deal. The market is “preparing for disappointment,” according […] Read more







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CBOT weekly outlook: Headlines, geopolitics drive prices

MarketsFarm — To Terry Reilly, about the only things driving the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) are headlines and geopolitics developments. “Traders are trading headlines,” Reilly, an analyst for Futures International in Chicago, said in reference to the latest developments in U.S.-China trade talks. Reports on Wednesday morning said the two countries were close to […] Read more

CBOT January 2020 soybeans with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soy rises on trade hopes

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures rose on Wednesday, buoyed by renewed optimism about a U.S.-China trade deal as well as some bargain buying, traders said. Corn futures were lower, giving up early gains on technical selling, while wheat futures firmed after two days of sharp declines. Investors were reassured by a Bloomberg report […] Read more