Hog Prices-Markets
Don Roose with U.S. Commodities says the bearish USDA report news has been largely factored in but corn and soybeans are establishing new lower trading ranges.
Corn and soybeans try to bounce Wednesday morning. Vince Boddicker with Farmers Trading Company says some of this is short covering or corrective buying as the market was oversold but he’s not sure the bearish USDA news is all digested.
Brian Grete with Commstock Investments says the corn market is still trying to digest the shock of USDA’s January reports. March corn futures came within striking distance of the Aug. 12 low at $4.10.
Brad Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek says strong cash has been supportive of the cattle futures and he expects a higher week in the fed market again this week. Grains are still digesting USDA’s bearish reports.
Live and feeder cattle futures were lower early Friday but Scott Varilek of Kooima Kooima Varilek says it didn’t take long for the markets to firm up supported by the cash market.
Garrett Toay with AgTraderTalk attributes the rally mostly to corrective buying after a $1.40 break from the highs in soybeans. Traders are also short in the wheat market, which just came off of contract lows in SRW futures.
Chip Nellinger with Blue Reef Agri-Marketing says soybeans sold off in a classic “buy the rumor, sell the fact,” reaction to USDA confirming China export sales.
Brad Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek says the recent strength in cattle has been a combination of fund buying and higher cash trade. He predicts that will continue into first quarter of 2026.
Chuck Shelby of Risk Management Commodities says soybeans, corn and wheat were oversold and saw some corrective buying but there was also some risk on buying across the ag complex.
Scott Varilek with Kooima Kooima Varilek says cattle futures saw a chart breakout, pushed by fundamental factors. Meanwhile, the soybean market saw technical selling and pressure from mostly favorable weather in South America.
Rich Nelson with Allendale, Inc. says there is a general lack of news for the grain markets so some of the pressure is coming from end of the quarter and end of the year positioning by traders.
Joe Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek says the live and feeder cattle futures board has remained sideways since around Dec. 11. However, there is one thing that could break that trend.
Mike Minor with Professional Ag Marketing says the grains saw a Santa Claus rally on technical buying as under light volume its easier to move a market. Hogs reacted to the bearish Hogs and Pigs Report.
Dan Basse with Ag Resource Company says the next focus for the soybean market in 2026 will be South American weather and what does China do on long term soybean purchases.
Grains are quiet Tuesday morning. Volume is light as we are into holiday trading already says DuWayne Bosse of Bolt Marketing.
Arlan Suderman with StoneX, Inc. says some of Monday’s buying was tied to money flow and end of the year profit taking he says. The higher energy market was also supportive of the grains.
Live and feeder cattle futures made new highs for the move Monday morning after a strong close Friday and higher weekly closes. However, the big catalyst is the bullish USDA Cattle on Feed Report data according to Rich Nelson of Allendale, Inc.
Jim McCormick with AgMarket.Net says the slide in soybeans has been a result of prices getting too high in anticipation of the China trade deal. Now prices are lower than before the purchases were announced. He’s hopeful a low is close.
Scott Varilek, Kooima Kooima Varilek says live cattle futures are higher despite some lower Northern cash trade. However, this week the trend has been sideways with the market unable to take out chart resistance.
Ted Seifried with Zaner Ag Hedge says rumors of China purchases circulate nearly every time the corn market rallies.
Don Roose with U.S. Commodities says the soybeans and wheat made new lows for the move on Monday. Grains have been suffering from a lack of bullish news and for soybeans China fatigue is also a factor.
Brad Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek says the cattle futures are overbought after last week’s higher weekly closes. So this is a healthy correction.
Mark Schultz with Northstar Commodity says the $10,80 level has been strong support in soybeans and held with the help of more daily export sales.
Randy Martinson with Martinson Ag says early pressure in soybeans came from follow through selling and more confusion on China’s purchase commitments. However, soybeans bounced off of strong technical support at the days lows.
Brian Grete with Commstock Investments says he was a bit surprised by how aggressive USDA was in raising corn exports to 3.2 billion bu. which is a record.
Alan Brugler with A&N Economics, Inc. says the soybean market continues to be plagued by uncertainty over China’s soybean purchase commitments and a close below $11 projects lower prices.
Brad Kooima says both live and feeder cattle futures markets struggled Monday as the huge recovery off the lows put contracts up into 50% retracement levels.
Soybean futures ended sharply lower on Friday, with the January contract down 33¢ for the week. Matt Bennett with AgMarket.Net says the poor close is tied to mixed messages about a signed soybean agreement with China and sales progress.
Scott Varilek with Kooima Kooima Varilek says Thursday saw the volume of live sale prices at $220, up $10 from last week but even some $222 developed in Iowa.
Vince Boddicker with Farmers Trading Company says grains took the path of least resistance on Wednesday trading lower with a lack of fresh bullish news.