The Final Bell

Reaction to the WASDE report. Big stocks to use ratio for corn. How will these numbers play out into the rest of the trading week? Significant acres remain unharvested in North Dakota last month, USDA will re-contact producers there in May to gather production data on those acres. We will find those numbers out in June. Ethanol production numbers from today’s report. Only one big number in soybean...

Chinese buying soybeans. WASDE on Tuesday. Est for 2020 carryout is 3.3 billion could be a new record. Largest corn crop on record. What about the stocks to use ratio? How will ethanol & feed demand fair? What are the soybean numbers looking like? Lower stocks & carryout for wheat. On the flip side livestock took a hit on a Monday for the cattle. Hogs were lower, but not as drastic as the cattle m...

Green on the screen for a Friday in the grains. To keep in perspective, low commodity prices is taking its toll. Change in the week for corn, beans, wheat, cattle & hogs for the week. Demand & exports. Weather, ethanol working towards processing with DDG’s for livestock.

5-7-20 Another limit up day in the livestock…what does that mean for the near term? Relationship between grain & livestock producers in these current times. Will we see $500 Choice boxed beef? We go through these feelings every year with market movements, just this year its escalated feelings. We are socially isolated on a regular day in ag, but as it continues the feels are getting more stressed....

This weekend’s freeze, what does this mean for the Midwest? Weather in the Black Sea, Brazil sees less rain opportunities. What kind of summer do we suspect? Don’t forget next Tuesday’s WASDE report looking at the 20-21 marketing year. Cash cattle trade saw some .95 & then 1.10…that helped the limit up trade.

5-5-20 Planting progress. USDA report next week on the 12th. Delivery against the May futures starting to roll in. Will we see some changes to exports, ethanol and what could be on the balance sheet for old crop? Will there be a corn vs. bean war? War with China again? Livestock…rolling positions. Cash prices & box beef movement. So how does Wendy’s/McDonald’s COSTCO/HyVee limiting meat purchases....

5-4-20 Big show list as expected…teared market on the cash last week. Boxed beef is over $400 the disparity between producer and packer continues. Will we kill big numbers this week? Social economics will weigh in on the plants…the length this will drag in on the markets. Hogs has just as big of problems as cattle, but they had a $32 rally on the front. Outlook into the weeks ahead. Grains: Non th...

There is some optimism with the livestock market. Grains didn’t end the week like many had hoped. A lot of little of things added to the trade for the grains. China goes on holiday next week, the big bean purchase of Thursday-did bring some disappointment on Friday. Planting progress has gone well in Nebraska but to the east there has been some issues. Plants at reduced rates still weighing in on...

Has China returned to some buying of U.S. goods? Is there some improvement in the ethanol margins? Corn, beans & cattle bring a positive day. Fastest planting pace in a few years. Will there be a bean vs. corn acre war this year? Trade of the dollar today could that be supportive to the export markets? Live cattle saw higher number while feeders struggled.

Declaration on packing plants. Ethanol & gas reports are out, a bump in gasoline production. South America with crop production & weather in SA & the Black Sea. Global currencies.

Tyson NY Times ad, President Trump to order meat processors to stay open. May delivery, energies in the market trade. Real time livestock issues are weighing in on the grain markets. Lower crop ratings from the NASS in the weekly USDA report. Wheat will be the big player in the next 30 days.

Planting progress…a lot of talk has been corn, is a low in place or are we close? With crude oil drop continuing how is that going to effect ethanol? Could we see a time where funds will not go long? How is all the corn happenings going to effect the bean acres? What kind of pressure could wheat put on these markets (spring wheat). Pressure coming in from South America-how detrimental are these hi...

Is corn going to finds its way into rations with DDGs becoming less and less? Ramifications of a snowball effect. Revisiting delivery on corn & the crude oil futures. These futures are deliverable, basis contracts…options expired today (Friday) for the May contracts. What does history show for corn? There is an ongoing pattern for corn. What should producers be doing while holding their old crop?...

What is the best way to describe the corn and soybean markets? How would you describe the current situation with Crude Oil? Is gasoline demand starting to improve? What are the major problems that the ethanol industry is having right now? Can ethanol recover much in price without Crude Oil finding a bottom in price? Do you think we are close to finding a bottom in the corn and soybean markets? How...

Lessons learned from the crude oil market this week. Changed the paradigms & you can’t count on the old rules. COVID-19…don’t know the scope of the demand destruction. Ethanol demand. Positive note is weather issues in the Black Sea, South America & China. China & Phase One…could mean a better second ½ of the year. Increase in ASF.

Stress levels in the markets right now. Will gas prices come down, how does the crude oil trade of yesterday effect the markets going forward. Could there be stabilization in the ethanol market that will affect the corn, livestock & dollar trade? Meal market turn’s around. More South American crops headed to Asia then in year’s past. Packing plants are coming back online.

Crude oil trade was everyone’s talk. What does this mean for our grain’s? Ethanol production-what will happen if we don’t have the market once harvest begins, planting progress. Export inspections didn’t have anything good today. Stimulus money announced on Friday…what does that mean for grains/livestock? More plants are closing due to COVID-19

Another week closer to whatever the new norm will be. Mind sets are starting to change. Tough week was the corn market, folks are getting anxious to get back into the field. Will there be big acres & supplies? How is the basis holding out for corn & beans? How is the ethanol market faring? cattle started to stabilize-there is a long way yet to go. Cash trade on cattle has slowed down. What does al...

Corn has a reality of struggles, beans export sales, look at the forecast for beans & a lot of good things could happen, but outside influences will have an effect. Not everyone will have a weather-related market in 2020. Cattle has had a nice bounce off the lows. Is a June low in place? Some assistance for the cattle & hog guys is helping. Struggles within the packing market.

Lower grains, how did the weekly ethanol report factor in? Port disruption talk isn’t not the loading of the ships, unloading the barges that come down the river does take time. No major effects right now. Wheat has dealt with very cold mornings, is there some damage being seen? Will Kansas be the hardest hit? How is COVID effecting the movement of pork & beef. So much talk of food shortages, but...

Mind boggling is one way to describe the market trade. Looking at the other side, what is yet to come. We know where we are, prices have crashed, now what? What is a realistic outlook going forward? What are the opportunities? Can the livestock & dairy market survive COVID-19…will we need some new marketing tools for the tool box?

Markets tank again on a Monday for the cattle market. Limit down on the live & feeder cattle. JBS closing two plants for two days, plants are slowing down & or going dark. Is the market worried about the shortened cattle kills? Heavy cattle concerns? Positives on the cattle side? Good weekend clearance. Demand for fast food hamburger is crazy. Smithfield closes plant in SD. From pork exports. St....

How was the markets reaction after the USDA report? Ethanol still have a stronghold on the market? Short & long term effects on ethanol? Artificial negativity in the market. Russia & OPEC working out “deal”. Future deals. A lot of outside influence on the trade this week. DDGs effects go beyond the grain markets. Cattle market swings to the negative once again.

Mixed to lower grains. USDA report out tomorrow. Ethanol issues continue with POET announcing plant closures, what do current ethanol numbers mean? Cold temperatures next week…does this make the wheat market nervous? South American weather & crop production numbers. Beef sector has been going crazy. Restaurant numbers are out…not pretty

Corn is in the driver’s seat for grains today. S&D report due out on Thursday & markets closed on Friday. WOW…kind of “Normal” trade feel. Poor ethanol margins remain. POET to idle 4 plants. OPEC & Russia…how does that effect the U.S.? Talk about a “Turn Around Tuesday” with limit up on the livestock.