DESPITE LARGE CORN, SOYBEAN EXPORT SALES, MARKETS CLOSE MOSTLY LOWER MONDAY

On Monday, the CME Group’s farm markets finish mostly lower.

At the close, the March corn futures settled 5½¢ higher at $4.56½. May corn futures closed 5¼¢ higher at $4.57.

January soybean futures settled 8¼¢ lower at $12.55¼. March soybean futures closed 7¼¢ lower at $12.57¼.

March wheat futures closed 12¾¢ lower at $6.14¼.

March soymeal futures settled $1.40 short term lower at $412.70.

March soy oil futures finished 0.08¢ lower at 41.05¢ per pound.

In the outside markets, the NYMEX crude oil market is $0.55 per barrel lower (-1.14%) at $47.68. The U.S. dollar is lower, and the Dow Jones Industrials are 204 points higher (+0.68%) at 30,403 points.

On Monday, private exporters reported to the USDA the following activity:

• Export sales of 233,700 metric tons of soybeans for delivery to unknown destinations during the 2020/2021 marketing year.
• Export sales of 125,000 metric tons of soybeans for delivery to unknown destinations during the 2021/2022 marketing year.
• Export sales of 149,572 metric tons of corn for delivery to unknown destinations during the 2020/2021 marketing year.
• Export sales of 33,000 metric tons of soybean oil for delivery to unknown destinations during the 2020/2021 marketing year.
• The marketing year for corn and soybeans began Sept. 1; soybean oil began Oct. 1.

Jack Scoville, PRICE Futures Group, says that investors are selling the soybean market.

“It looks like spec long liquidation is hitting the beans. The lack of rain in South America remains concerning and the demand reports are good today. But it has run a long way without much correction, so here we are with one going into the end of the year. The corn market is holding strong on spreads as much as anything. Wheat is getting trashed on better weather for the Great Plains and not much more,” Scoville says.

All Kluis, Kluis Advisors, says that global factors are moving the markets.

“On Friday, the grain markets closed higher on commercial buying and continued weather concerns for South America. Dry conditions continue in southeast Brazil and large areas of Argentina. On Friday corn and soybeans again posted new highs. Corn closed 4¢ higher, soybeans were 5¢ higher, and wheat closed 2¢ higher to 2¢ lower. Continued weather concerns – as well as the ongoing port strike in Argentina – have the grain markets again moving higher,” Kluis stated in a daily note to customers.

Kluis added, “As more private analysts project an increase in inflation, many U.S. and global investors will view the grain markets as a good inflation hedge. The huge amount of debt the U.S. is creating in a low interest rate environment will provide many challenges down the road.”

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