Latest news with #AndrewWhitelaw
Zawya
3 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Chicago soybeans flat on favourable weather, soyoil supports
BEIJING/PARIS - Chicago soybean futures were flat on Tuesday, torn between favourable U.S. crop weather and still strong soyoil prices despite a small fall after a sharp two-day rally, fuelled by surging crude oil and stronger U.S. biofuel blending mandates. The most-active soybean contract was unchanged at $10.69-3/4 per bushel, as of 1145 GMT. Soybeans had touched a one-month high and soyoil a 20-month high on Monday. Analysts said Iran-Israel tensions could add volatility to grain markets through energy price shocks. "At present eyes across all markets are on what is occurring in the Middle East," said Andrew Whitelaw, agricultural consultant at Episode 3. "The region is a huge contributor to the energy markets, and these markets have a huge impact on grain pricing levels." Soyoil dropped 0.3% at 54.95 cents per pound, as traders took profits, removing some support for soybeans. Soyoil is used to make biodiesel, and is therefore influenced by oil prices. These rose on Tuesday on rising disruptions from the Iran-Israel conflict, although major oil and gas infrastructure and flows have so far been spared from any substantial impact. The oilseed also continues to face headwinds from weak demand, tariff uncertainty and global competition. Corn slipped 0.06% to $4.35 a bushel, pressured by beneficial weekend rains across key growing regions, including parts of the Plains and the northwest and southeastern Midwest. However, strong export data helped curb losses. U.S. corn inspections in the latest week reached about 1.67 million metric tons, at the high end of trade expectations. Weekly condition ratings for the country's corn crop also improved and were tied for the highest for this time of the season in several years, according to U.S. government data. Soybean ratings declined. rose 0.65% to $5.40 a bushel, though harvest pressure capped gains. The U.S. winter wheat harvest is expanding after a slow start. The USDA said the winter wheat crop was 10% harvested, up from 4% a week ago but behind the five-year average of 16%. Analysts on average had estimated harvest progress at 11%. In France , the farm ministry on Tuesday forecast a strong rebound of the country's 2025 winter barley and rapeseed production from rain-hit crops last season. Commodity funds were net buyers of Chicago Board of Trade soyoil futures contracts on Monday and net sellers of corn, soymeal, wheat and soybean futures, traders said. Prices at 1145 GMT Last Change Pct Move CBOT wheat 540.00 3.50 0.65 CBOT corn 435.00 0.25 0.06 CBOT soy 1069.75 0.00 0.00 Paris wheat 199.75 -0.50 -0.25 Paris maize 185.75 0.25 0.13 Paris rapeseed 490.00 1.00 0.20 Euro/dlr 1.16 0.00 0.03 Most active contracts - Wheat, corn and soy US cents/bushel, Paris futures in euros per tonne
Business Recorder
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Chicago soybeans slip on favourable weather, weaker soyoil
BEIJING: Chicago soybean futures fell on Tuesday, pressured by favourable US crop weather and weaker soyoil prices, after a sharp two-day rally. The most-active soybean contract dipped 0.23% to $10.67 per bushel, as of 0222 GMT, snapping gains fuelled by surging crude oil and stronger US biofuel blending mandates. Soybeans had touched a one-month high and soyoil a 20-month high on Monday. Analysts said Iran-Israel tensions could add volatility to grain markets through energy price shocks. 'At present eyes across all markets are on what is occurring in the Middle East,' said Andrew Whitelaw, agricultural consultant at Episode 3. 'The region is a huge contributor to the energy markets, and these markets have a huge impact on grain pricing levels.' Soyoil contract dropped 0.85% at 54.64 cents per pound, as traders took profits, removing some support for soybeans. The oilseed also continues to face headwinds from weak demand, tariff uncertainty and global competition. Corn slipped 0.06% to $4.35 a bushel, pressured by beneficial weekend rains across key growing regions, including parts of the Plains and the northwest and southeastern Midwest. Soybeans rise on oil rally, still on track for weekly loss However, strong export data helped curb losses. US corn inspections in the latest week reached about 1.67 million metric tons, at the high end of trade expectations. Weekly condition ratings for the country's corn crop also improved and were tied for the highest for this time of the season in several years, according to US government data. Soybean ratings declined, rose 0.84% to $5.41 a bushel, though harvest pressure capped gains. The US winter wheat harvest is expanding after a slow start. The USDA said the winter wheat crop was 10% harvested, up from 4% a week ago but behind the five-year average of 16%. Analysts on average had estimated harvest progress at 11%. Commodity funds were net buyers of Chicago Board of Trade soyoil futures contracts on Monday and net sellers of corn, soymeal, wheat and soybean futures, traders said.
Business Recorder
16-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Chicago soybeans set for first weekly gain in three on demand prospects
BEIJING: Chicago soybean futures are set for a weekly gain on Friday after two straight weeks of decline, as a China-US tariff pause sparked hopes for increased Chinese demand, although uncertainty over the shape of a final trade deal lingered. Soybean contract rose 0.24% to $10.54 a bushel, as of 0336 GMT on Friday. Prices are up 0.14% for the week. Prices had been under pressure following a sharp drop in soyoil during the previous session caused by concerns over US biofuel targets and lower crude oil prices. Soybeans rebounded after the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent its proposal to the White House for review on future biofuel blending mandates starting in 2026. 'There are expectations that this will be positive for soy, as a way to assist producers impacted by Trump tariffs,' said Andrew Whitelaw, agricultural consultant at Episode 3. Wheat is set for its first weekly gain in four weeks, as low prices continue to attract buying interest. US export sales of wheat for the week ended May 8 totalled 804,800 metric tons, at the higher end of analyst expectations, according to the US Department of Agriculture. Chicago soybeans drop from 10-month highs Saudi Arabia issued a tender to buy 655,000 metric tons of wheat for August-October shipment period, the General Food Security Authority said on Thursday. Corn gained 0.28% to $4.49-6/8 a bushel and is on track for a weekly gain after declining for three, supported by robust demand and favourable weather. Weekly export sales of corn totalled 2,186,100 metric tons for the week ended May 8, above a range of analysts' expectations, according to USDA. Meanwhile, Brazil's second-corn farmers are poised to increase production by 11% this year to an estimated 99.8 million metric tons, national crop agency Conab said on Thursday, citing good weather in key growing regions. Commodity funds were net sellers of Chicago Board of Trade soybean, soyoil, soymeal and corn futures contracts on Thursday, traders said. They were net buyers of wheat futures, traders said.
Business Recorder
14-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Soybeans hit 9-month high on biofuel tax credit proposal, trade optimism
BEIJING: Chicago soybean futures rose to a nine-month high on Wednesday, supported by a proposal to extend the biofuel tax credit - boosting demand for US soybeans - and renewed optimism from a temporary truce in the US-China trade dispute. Trade developments pushed the most-active CBOT soybean contract up $10.81 per bushel, marking a nearly 0.8% increase by 0442 GMT. The contract touched its highest point since July 26, 2024, and extended gains for the fifth consecutive session. US House lawmakers unveiled a proposal on Monday to extend the clean fuel tax credit (45Z) until December 31, 2031. South Korea's NOFI tenders to buy up to 138,000 metric tons corn Andrew Whitelaw, an agricultural consultant at Episode 3, said that this extension would provide certainty for biofuel production, boosting demand for US soybeans. He said that the potential 'demand cliff' following the 2027 expiration of the tax credit could significantly pressure crush margins and lead to weaker soybean prices. Additionally, optimism was fuelled after US President Donald Trump said in an interview on Tuesday that he could envision direct talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping to finalize a US-China trade deal, following a temporary tariff pause between the two countries in Switzerland. Analysts, however, cautioned that uncertainty persists as the US marketing season draws near. 'In most crop categories, the new crop won't come in until the fall season. So there's still a great deal of uncertainty about what will happen when the 90-day pause wraps up in August,' said Even Rogers Pay, agriculture analyst, Trivium China. Producers also warned that the tariff pause alone will not help US farmers revive soy sales in China without additional concessions. Meanwhile, wheat futures dipped 0.1% to $5.17 per bushel, hovering near contract lows due to high US inventories, signalling a better-than-expected supply situation. The USDA projected both US and global wheat-ending stocks for the 2025-26 season above analysts' expectations. Corn was flat at $4.43 per bushel. US farmers had planted 62% of the nation's corn crop by Sunday, higher than analysts' expectations and ahead of the five-year average for this time of year of 56%, the USDA report showed.
Business Recorder
09-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Chicago soy, corn and wheat higher with trade talks, weather in focus
BEIJING/PARIS: Chicago soybean, corn and wheat futures edged higher on Friday as looming U.S.-China talks raised hopes of an easing in trade tensions. A lower dollar and brisk weekly U.S. exports also helped corn recover from a six-week low on Thursday, while concern about adverse weather in China was lending support to wheat, traders said. Gains remained capped by favourable crop conditions in the United States. There was also caution over the outcome of Saturday's meeting between senior U.S. and Chinese officials and ahead of a widely tracked U.S. Department of Agriculture report on Monday. The most-active soybean contract on the Chicago Board of Trade was up 0.4% at $10.49 a bushel by 1109 GMT. 'The market will be looking to U.S.-China relations after the UK-U.S. trade agreement. Can the two nations find a solution to get their trade ties back on track?' said Andrew Whitelaw of agricultural consultants Episode 3. EU wheat claws back some losses after sliding to contract lows The soybean market has been particularly sensitive to the tariff stand-off between China, the world's biggest soybean importer, and the United States, the world's second-largest exporter of the oilseed. In South America, Argentina's Buenos Aires Grains Exchange raised its 2024–25 soybean harvest forecast to 50 million metric tons from 48.6 million on Thursday, citing improved yields. CBOT corn rose 1.2% to $4.53 a bushel, while CBOT wheat added 0.6% to $5.32-1/2 a bushel to recover from a one-week low on Thursday. After being pressured by improving U.S. crop conditions and forecast rain in the Black Sea export region, the wheat market has found support in drought concerns in China. On Tuesday, China's Henan province, known as the country's wheat granary, issued a drought warning, as hot, dry winds threatened crops. 'People are monitoring the weather in China. If they have a crop problem they are going to have to come back into the market for imports,' a European trader said. Traders were also positioning ahead of the USDA's world crop report on Monday that will include its first supply and demand balance sheets for 2025–26.
