U.S. grains: Soybeans bounce from near 4-year low; corn and wheat decline

Chicago | Reuters—Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) soybean futures rose on Thursday on bargain buying and signs of renewed export demand after the most-active contract Sv1 fell to a nearly four-year low in early trading, analysts said.

Corn futures fell as favorable weather boosted U.S. crop prospects while wheat futures retreated and hovered near four-month lows.

CBOT benchmark soybeans Sv1 ended up 2 cents at $10.43 a bushel, rallying after a dip to $10.31-3/4, their lowest level since Oct. 12, 2020.

CBOT corn Cv1 fell 6-3/4 cents to $4.05 a bushel and benchmark wheat Wv1 settled down 4 cents at $5.35-1/4 a bushel.

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Soybeans got a boost after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed private sales of 510,000 metric tons of U.S. new-crop soybeans to undisclosed destinations. The announcement represented the largest daily “flash sale” of U.S. soybeans since November.

The USDA also confirmed sales of 150,000 tons of U.S. soymeal to undisclosed locations.

The USDA’s weekly soybean export sales data was in line with trade expectations. The government reported sales of old-crop soybeans in the week to July 11 at 360,100 metric tons and new-crop sales of 375,000 tons.

CBOT corn futures fell on strong crop production prospects and uncertain demand. Weekly export sales of U.S. old-crop corn totaled 437,800 tons, below trade expectations, while new-crop corn sales totaled 486,700 tons, the USDA reported.

Given plentiful U.S. corn stockpiles, “I just don’t think that weekly (corn) export sales got the job done for the demand bulls,” said Mike Zuzolo, president of Global Commodity Analytics.

On the global front, the International Grains Council (IGC) raised its forecast for 2024/25 world corn production by 2 million tons to 1.225 billion tons.

The IGC also raised its world wheat crop outlook by 8 million tons to 801 million tons, a factor that kept a lid on CBOT wheat futures.

Wheat drew underlying support this week from a flurry of global export deals, including Algeria’s purchase of about 700,000 to 750,000 metric tons of wheat in an international tender, and an Egyptian state purchase of 770,000 metric tons of mostly Russian wheat.

—Additional reporting for Reuters by Naveen Thukral and Sybille de La Hamaide