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9-26 End of Day: Grains Stumble on Thursday

All prices as of 2:00 pm Central Time

Grain Market Highlights

  • Below expectation corn export sales and potential farmer selling reversed corn futures from their morning highs, on the week so far corn is over 11 cents higher but has been unable to break out of its recent range.  
  • Soybeans were unable to post a fourth consecutive day of gains on Thursday despite strong export sales. Both soybean meal and oil were also lower on the day with soybean oil posting the largest losses.
  • All three wheat classes moved lower in unison today giving back some of yesterday’s gains. Poor export sales and falling corn and soybean prices provided outside pressure to wheat.
  • To see the updated US drought monitor as well as the One Week Drought Class Change Map courtesy of NOAA scroll down to the other Charts/Weather section.

Note – For the best viewing experience, some Grain Market Insider content is best viewed with your phone held horizontally.

Corn

Corn Action Plan Summary

Since printing a market low in late August, the corn market has rallied largely on fund short covering as the rush of old crop bushels into the market has slowed and demand has picked up. While the harvest of an expectedly large crop may limit upside potential, it is a good sign that corn buyers are finding value at these multi-year low price levels. Any unexpected downward shift in anticipated supply or increase in demand could trigger managed funds to cover more of their short positions and rally prices further, however, an extended rally is unlikely until after harvest.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 corn. In June, we recommended purchasing Dec ’24 470 and 510 calls after Dec ’24 closed below 451, due to their relative value and the typically high market volatility during that time of year. Although we no longer have an upside objective for additional sales for now, we continue to target a value of 29 cents to exit the Dec ’24 470 calls. Exiting at this level will allow you to lock in gains that offset much of the original position’s cost, while holding the remaining 510 calls at or near a net-neutral cost. This strategy should continue to protect existing sales and provide confidence for further sales during an extended rally. Since harvest time is not an advantageous sales window, we will begin evaluating market conditions once it concludes and target areas for additional sales recommendations in late fall or early winter.
  • No new action is currently recommended for 2025 corn. Between early June and late July Grain Market Insider made three separate sales recommendations to get early sales made for next year’s crop. Considering the seasonal weakness of the market in late summer and early fall, we will not be looking to post any targeted areas for new sales until late fall or early winter. Although, we will look to protect current sales, in the form of buying call options, should the market begin to show signs of a potential extended rally.
  • No Action is currently recommended for 2026 corn. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted 2 years from now, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following corn recommendations:

  • Corn futures reversed of early session highs as disappointing corn exports sales and upward momentum from short covering limited the upside movement. Corn futures posted the second reversal in the past 3 days, failing around the 419 level on the Dec Chart. Going into Friday trade, Dec corn futures are trading 11 ½ cents higher on the week.
  • Weekly corn exports sales were disappointing this week on the USDA’s weekly export sales report. New corn sales last week totaled 535,000 MT (21.1 mb), well below last week and below analyst expectations. With in those sales, Unknown cancelled 156,000 MT (6.1 mb) of sales, weighing on the total. With the week’s sales totals, total accumulated sales are still 17% ahead of last year’s pace.
  • For the second straight day, Mexico bought some U.S. corn on a flash export sale announcement.  Mexico added 115,000 MT (4.5 mb) for corn purchase for the current marketing year.
  • Money flow has been strong into the commodity space since early September as the potential more friendly monetary policy and interest rate cut has triggered purchasing in the commodity sector.  Grains and other commodities have benefited from this recent rally, but as the month ends, multiple markets seemed to lose upward momentum on Thursday. The next couple sessions may be key for price direction in October.
  • Corn harvest continues, and yield results have been trending well above average, the increase of farmer selling, and hedge pressure will likely limit the corn market as we move into October and furthering the harvest.

Soybeans

Soybeans Action Plan Summary

Since early September, the soybean market has traded mostly sideways after a late August rally, as weather conditions turned dry during the later development stages of the crop. While the USDA projects record soybean yields for this season, the warm and dry finish to the growing season may have reduced final yields from earlier projections. Although export sales have increased in recent weeks, the current sales pace remains the slowest since 2019, which may still weigh on prices. Any pickup in demand or a decrease in this year’s projected supply could rally prices, especially post-harvest.

  • No new action is recommended for the 2024 crop. In early June, when our Plan B strategy was triggered by the market’s close below 1180, we recommended making sales at that time due to the potential change in trend signaled by that weak close. While we don’t currently have a target range for additional sales, because harvest time typically does not present the most advantageous prices, we will begin evaluating market conditions once it concludes and will target areas for additional sales recommendations in late fall or early winter.
  • No Action is currently recommended for 2025 Soybeans. To date, Grain Market Insider has not recommended any sales for next year’s soybean crop yet. First sales targets will probably be set in late fall or early winter at the earliest. Currently, our focus is on watching for opportunities to recommend buying call options. Should Nov ‘25 reach the upper 1100 range, the likelihood of an extended rally would increase, and we would recommend buying upside call options at that time in preparation for that possibility.
  • No Action is currently recommended for 2026 Soybeans. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted 2 years from now, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following soybean recommendations:

  • Soybeans ended the day lower after 3 consecutive days of gains and the November contract is currently up 29 cents on the week. Export sales were strong for soybeans, but a day of sharply lower trade in the soybean oil complex pressured prices. Both soybean meal and oil were lower today, but soybean oil was the big loser despite big early gains in palm oil futures.
  • Today’s export sales report showed an increase of 57.9 mb of soybean sales for 24/25 and was above the average trade estimate. Last week’s export shipments of 19.0 mb were below the 36.4 mb needed each week to mee the USDA’s export estimates. Primary destinations were to China, unknown destinations, and the Netherlands.
  • The dryness in Brazil has been more bullish for soybeans than for corn, and over the past three days, funds have bought back an estimated 35,000 contracts of soybeans. Meteorologists have said that the La Nina pattern that was expected this summer may see effects pushed into the fall which would be a problem for Brazil.
  • Some weakness today may have come from the lack of soybean flash sales to China this week as there had been rumors of a large purchase in the works. The proposed Chinese stimulus package had originally been bullish with an expectation for increased demand for ag products and raw materials from the US, but those exports will need to materialize.

Above: November soybeans’ strong close above 1031 ¼ resistance suggests that prices could run toward the late July high between 1080 – 1085. Above there, further resistance could be met near the 100-day moving average. If prices retreat, downside support could still be found between the 50-day moving average and 995.

Wheat

Market Notes: Wheat

  • Soybeans lost their upward momentum today, and as they faded back so did corn and wheat – all three US wheat futures classes posted losses. The losses in wheat come despite a drop in the US Dollar and a mostly higher close for Matif wheat, which may be more confirmation that US wheat has been following soybeans.
  • The USDA reported an increase of 5.8 mb of wheat export sales for 24/25 and an increase of 0.4 mb for 25/26. Shipments last week at 26.1 mb far exceeded the 15.5 mb pace needed per week to reach the USDA’s export goal of 825 mb. In addition, wheat sales commitments have reached 410 mb which is up 22% from last year.
  • Lawmakers are urging the Biden administration to intervene, if necessary, to prevent a port workers’ strike along the eastern US and Gulf coast. This comes on the heels of another strike in Vancouver, Canada. The US strike could reportedly begin on October 1, and both events could affect logistics and transport of grains, which could also impact exports of US commodities.
  • Recent rains have alleviated drought conditions in some of the US winter wheat areas. According to the USDA as of September 24, about 50% of US winter wheat acreage is experiencing drought. This is a decline of 8% from the previous week. And with hurricane Helene set to make landfall this evening, more rains may work their way into the southern SRW wheat areas over the next several days.
  • According to IKAR, they have lowered their estimate of Russian wheat production to 81.8 mmt from 82.2 previously, which compares to the USDA at 83.0 mmt. In related news, Russia has announced that they will expand their grain exports along the Baltic Sea to reduce dependance on Black Sea shipments. The goal is to boost exports by 50% by the year 2030. A reported 90% of Russian grain exports in 23/24 moved through the Black Sea, with only 2.4% through the Baltic Sea.
  • Frost and freezing conditions have become a threat to the wheat crop in southern and southeastern Australia. Reportedly, temperatures hit -2 degrees Celsius (28.4 degrees Fahrenheit) across about 1.2 million hectares of wheat. This equates to roughly 10% of major production and along with dryness in western regions is another blow to the crop. Australian wheat harvest typically begins in November.

Chicago Wheat Action Plan Summary

After posting a seasonal low in late July, the wheat market staged a rally that began in late August triggered by crop concerns due to wet conditions in the EU, and smaller crops out of Russia and Ukraine. The nearly 80-cent rally from the August low to September high also saw Managed funds cover about two-thirds of their net short positions. While low Russian export prices continue to be a limiting factor for higher US prices, a new season is upon us with many uncertainties ahead that could keep volatility in the market. Additionally, US export sales remain ahead of the pace set last year and in 2022, and any increase in demand from lower World supplies could rally prices further.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 Chicago wheat. Considering the rally in wheat back in May, we recommended taking advantage of the elevated prices to make additional sales and buy upside July ’25 860 and 1020 calls (for their extended time frame) in case of a protracted rally. Our current strategy is to target 740 – 760 versus Dec ’24 to recommend further sales, while also targeting a selling price of about 73 cents in the 860 calls to achieve a net neutral cost on the remaining 1020 calls. The remaining 1020 calls would then continue to protect existing sales and give you confidence to make additional sales at higher prices.
  • No new action is recommended for 2025 Chicago wheat. Recently, we recommended taking advantage of the wheat rally to sell more of your anticipated 2025 SRW production. While we continue to recommend holding the remaining July ’25 620 puts — after advising to exit the first half back in July — to maintain downside coverage for any unsold bushels, we are targeting a 10-15% extension from our last sale to the 650–680 area in July ’25 to suggest making additional sales.
  • No action is currently recommended for 2026 Chicago Wheat. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted next year, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following Chicago wheat recommendations:

KC Wheat Action Plan Summary

Since mid-July, the wheat market has mostly drifted sideways as the trade tries to balance smaller US and global wheat supplies against cheaper world export prices. During this period, a potential seasonal low was also marked on the front month continuous charts as managed funds maintained a sizable net short position in the wheat markets. While low Black Sea export prices and slow world demand continue to weigh on US prices, the funds’ short position could trigger an extended short covering rally on any increase in US demand as world wheat ending stocks are expected to fall yet again this year.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 KC wheat. Considering the upside breakout in KC wheat back in May, we recommended buying upside July ’25 860 and 1020 calls (for their extended time frame) in case of a protracted rally. Our current strategy is to target 675 – 700 versus Dec ’24 to recommend further sales, while also targeting a selling price of about 71 cents on the 860 calls to achieve a net neutral cost on the remaining 1020 calls. The remaining 1020 calls would then continue to protect existing sales and give you confidence to make additional sales at higher prices.
  • No new action is currently recommended for 2025 KC Wheat. Earlier this summer we recommended exiting half of the previously recommended July ’25 620 puts once they reached 60 cents (double the original approximate cost) to realize gains in case the market rallies back, while still holding the remaining 620 puts at, or near, a net neutral cost for continued downside coverage on any unsold bushels. To that end, we are currently targeting the upper 400 range versus July ’25 to exit half of those remaining puts. Meanwhile, our current upside strategy is to target the 640 – 670 range, also in the July ’25, to recommend making additional sales.
  • No action is currently recommended for 2026 KC Wheat. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted next year, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following KC recommendations:

Mpls Wheat Action Plan Summary

Since printing a near-term low in mid-July, Minneapolis wheat has trended mostly sideways as the market attempts to balance smaller US and world supplies versus lower world export prices and lower world demand. During this period, managed funds have maintained their sizable, short positions in Minneapolis wheat. Though low Russian export prices continue to keep a lid on US prices, smaller crops in Europe and the Black Sea region could increase US demand, potentially triggering an extended short-covering rally, especially as global wheat ending stocks are projected to decline again this year.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 Minneapolis wheat. With the close below 712 support in June, Grain Market Insider implemented its Plan B stop strategy, recommending additional sales for the 2024 crop due to waning upside momentum and an increased likelihood of a downward trend. Given the heightened volatility and the amount of time that remains to market this crop, we will maintain the current July ’25 KC wheat 860 and 1020 call options. Our target is a selling price of about 71 cents for the 860 calls to achieve a net neutral cost on the remaining 1020 calls. These 1020 calls will continue to protect existing sales and provide confidence to make additional sales at higher prices. While we are at the time of year when market lows often occur, we will consider posting upside targets in late September or early October when market conditions often become more advantageous, and harvest is mostly behind us.
  • No new action is currently recommended for the 2025 Minneapolis wheat crop. Since the growing season can often yield some of the best sales opportunities, we made two separate sales recommendations in July to get some early sales on the books for next year’s crop. While we will not be targeting any specific areas to make additional sales until later in the marketing year, we will continue to monitor the market for opportunities to exit the remaining July ’25 KC 620 puts that were recommended in June. To that end, we are currently targeting the upper 400 range versus July ’25 KC to exit half of those remaining puts.
  • No Action is currently recommended for the 2026 Minneapolis wheat crop. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted 2 years from now, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following Minneapolis wheat recommendations:

Other Charts / Weather

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9-25 End of Day: Grains Close Solidly in the Green at Midweek

All prices as of 2:00 pm Central Time

Grain Market Highlights

  • The corn market regained yesterday’s losses and then some as it recovered from early morning lows and closed within a penny of the day’s high across the board. Carryover support from higher soybeans and wheat were primary contributing factors.
  • For the third day in a row, soybeans closed higher on the day, and like corn, closed at the top of the day’s range across the board, with sharply higher soybean oil leading the way. Meal also recovered from earlier losses to close with modest gains.
  • News of the proposed Farmers First Incentives Act in congress, which favors domestically produced biofuel feedstocks over imported feedstocks for the 45Z tax credits continued to fuel the rally in soybean oil.
  • Despite a higher US Dollar, the wheat complex reversed yesterday’s losses and closed higher in all three classes, with Chicago and KC both showing double-digit gains. Carryover support from higher Paris milling wheat futures, and neighboring soybeans contributed to the day’s strength.
  • To see the updated US 5-day precipitation forecast, 6 – 10 day Temperature and Precipitation Outlooks, and 2-week Forecast Precipitation for Brazil and N. Argentina, courtesy of NOAA, and the Weather Prediction Center, scroll down to the other Charts/Weather section.

Note – For the best viewing experience, some Grain Market Insider content is best viewed with your phone held horizontally.

Corn

Corn Action Plan Summary

Since printing a market low in late August, the corn market has rallied largely on fund short covering as the rush of old crop bushels into the market has slowed and demand has picked up. While the harvest of an expectedly large crop may limit upside potential, it is a good sign that corn buyers are finding value at these multi-year low price levels. Any unexpected downward shift in anticipated supply or increase in demand could trigger managed funds to cover more of their short positions and rally prices further, however, an extended rally is unlikely until after harvest.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 corn. In June, we recommended purchasing Dec ’24 470 and 510 calls after Dec ’24 closed below 451, due to their relative value and the typically high market volatility during that time of year. Although we no longer have an upside objective for additional sales for now, we continue to target a value of 29 cents to exit the Dec ’24 470 calls. Exiting at this level will allow you to lock in gains that offset much of the original position’s cost, while holding the remaining 510 calls at or near a net-neutral cost. This strategy should continue to protect existing sales and provide confidence for further sales during an extended rally. Since harvest time is not an advantageous sales window, we will begin evaluating market conditions once it concludes and target areas for additional sales recommendations in late fall or early winter.
  • No new action is currently recommended for 2025 corn. Between early June and late July Grain Market Insider made three separate sales recommendations to get early sales made for next year’s crop. Considering the seasonal weakness of the market in late summer and early fall, we will not be looking to post any targeted areas for new sales until late fall or early winter. Although, we will look to protect current sales, in the form of buying call options, should the market begin to show signs of a potential extended rally.
  • No Action is currently recommended for 2026 corn. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted 2 years from now, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following corn recommendations:

  • Strength in the wheat and soybean market helped pull corn futures higher from early morning lows as prices consolidated at the top of this most recent push higher.
  • Weekly ethanol production dropped to 994,000 barrels per day last week, which was below market expectations and 1.5% below this time last year. Production has slipped in September as plants slow production and go through maintenance to prepare for freshly harvested supplies. Last week 100 mb of corn was used for production, which was below the pace needed to meet USDA targets.
  • The USDA announced a flash sale of corn to Mexico. Mexico purchased 7.1 mb (185,000 mt) of corn for the current marketing year.
  • The Buenos Aires Grain Exchange released projections for Argentina’s 24/25 marketing year corn crop. The exchange forecasts production at 47 mmt, down approximately 5% from last year, as producers shift production to soybeans to combat disease issues.
  • South American weather will remain the focus of the corn and soybean markets in the near future. Hot and dry conditions helped support grain prices in the recent rally. Forecasts are staying on the drier side, but seasonal rains are looking to pick up going into October. 

Soybeans

Soybeans Action Plan Summary

Since early September, the soybean market has traded mostly sideways after a late August rally, as weather conditions turned dry during the later development stages of the crop. While the USDA projects record soybean yields for this season, the warm and dry finish to the growing season may have reduced final yields from earlier projections. Although export sales have increased in recent weeks, the current sales pace remains the slowest since 2019, which may still weigh on prices. Any pickup in demand or a decrease in this year’s projected supply could rally prices, especially post-harvest.

  • No new action is recommended for the 2024 crop. In early June, when our Plan B strategy was triggered by the market’s close below 1180, we recommended making sales at that time due to the potential change in trend signaled by that weak close. While we don’t currently have a target range for additional sales, because harvest time typically does not present the most advantageous prices, we will begin evaluating market conditions once it concludes and will target areas for additional sales recommendations in late fall or early winter.
  • No Action is currently recommended for 2025 Soybeans. To date, Grain Market Insider has not recommended any sales for next year’s soybean crop yet. First sales targets will probably be set in late fall or early winter at the earliest. Currently, our focus is on watching for opportunities to recommend buying call options. Should Nov ‘25 reach the upper 1100 range, the likelihood of an extended rally would increase, and we would recommend buying upside call options at that time in preparation for that possibility.
  • No Action is currently recommended for 2026 Soybeans. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted 2 years from now, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following soybean recommendations:

  • Soybeans ended the day higher for the third consecutive day as funds continue to exit their short positions in a big way. Since Monday, November futures have gained 41 ½ cents, and the funds are estimated to have bought back over 35,000 contracts. Both soybean meal and oil were higher today, but soybean oil has been the leader recently.
  • The Buenos Aires Grain Exchange posted their estimates for the 24/25 marketing year soybean crop. The exchange anticipates total production to be 52 mmt for the next crop year. This total is higher than last year as the Exchange expects to see some shift from corn to soybeans due to disease concerns in the corn crop that limited production last year.
  • The USDA will release weekly exports sales totals on Thursday morning. Total new soybean sales are expected to range from 900,000 – 2.0 mmt. Last week, sales were 1.75 mmt. Soybean sales have ramped up in recent weeks with improved Chinese demand and concerns regarding early Brazil weather.
  • On Monday, September 30, the USDA will release its Quarterly Grain Stocks report which can sometimes contain surprises. Soybean stocks are expected to come in at 347 million bushels which would be up 31% from the 264 mb in September 2023.

Above: November soybeans’ strong close above 1031 ¼ resistance suggests that prices could run toward the late July high between 1080 – 1085. Above there, further resistance could be met near the 100-day moving average. If prices retreat, downside support could still be found between the 50-day moving average and 995.

Wheat

Market Notes: Wheat

  • Wheat gained strength throughout the session and closed with double-digit gains in both the Chicago and Kansas City contracts. This is despite a move higher for the US Dollar Index. US wheat appears to continue to follow Matif wheat futures, which also closed higher today. Spillover support from soybeans also contributed to the higher close for US wheat futures.
  • The Buenos Aires Grain Exchange is reportedly projecting Argentina’s 2024/25 wheat production at 18.6 mmt. For reference, the USDA is using a figure of 18 mmt. Recent rains have favored the eastern areas, which already have good soil moisture, but the western and northern regions are still dry and that may be affecting the development of winter wheat.
  • On a bullish note, according to SovEcon, just 8.3 million hectares of Russian winter crops have been planted. This is down about 1 million hectares from last year and is attributed to dry conditions in southern areas. In fact, the planting pace is said to be the slowest in 11 years.
  • Reportedly, China has set a maximum purchase of domestic wheat at 37 mmt for 2025 and 2026. The price is set at 119 yuan per 50 kg, which is equivalent to 2,380 yuan per mt. For reference, the minimum price was set at 118 yuan per 50 kg in 2024. China sets a minimum purchase price to support farmers when the market price drops below unprofitable levels.

Chicago Wheat Action Plan Summary

After posting a seasonal low in late July, the wheat market staged a rally that began in late August triggered by crop concerns due to wet conditions in the EU, and smaller crops out of Russia and Ukraine. The nearly 80-cent rally from the August low to September high also saw Managed funds cover about two-thirds of their net short positions. While low Russian export prices continue to be a limiting factor for higher US prices, a new season is upon us with many uncertainties ahead that could keep volatility in the market. Additionally, US export sales remain ahead of the pace set last year and in 2022, and any increase in demand from lower World supplies could rally prices further.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 Chicago wheat. Considering the rally in wheat back in May, we recommended taking advantage of the elevated prices to make additional sales and buy upside July ’25 860 and 1020 calls (for their extended time frame) in case of a protracted rally. Our current strategy is to target 740 – 760 versus Dec ’24 to recommend further sales, while also targeting a selling price of about 73 cents in the 860 calls to achieve a net neutral cost on the remaining 1020 calls. The remaining 1020 calls would then continue to protect existing sales and give you confidence to make additional sales at higher prices.
  • No new action is recommended for 2025 Chicago wheat. Recently, we recommended taking advantage of the wheat rally to sell more of your anticipated 2025 SRW production. While we continue to recommend holding the remaining July ’25 620 puts — after advising to exit the first half back in July — to maintain downside coverage for any unsold bushels, we are targeting a 10-15% extension from our last sale to the 650–680 area in July ’25 to suggest making additional sales.
  • No action is currently recommended for 2026 Chicago Wheat. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted next year, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following Chicago wheat recommendations:

KC Wheat Action Plan Summary

Since mid-July, the wheat market has mostly drifted sideways as the trade tries to balance smaller US and global wheat supplies against cheaper world export prices. During this period, a potential seasonal low was also marked on the front month continuous charts as managed funds maintained a sizable net short position in the wheat markets. While low Black Sea export prices and slow world demand continue to weigh on US prices, the funds’ short position could trigger an extended short covering rally on any increase in US demand as world wheat ending stocks are expected to fall yet again this year.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 KC wheat. Considering the upside breakout in KC wheat back in May, we recommended buying upside July ’25 860 and 1020 calls (for their extended time frame) in case of a protracted rally. Our current strategy is to target 675 – 700 versus Dec ’24 to recommend further sales, while also targeting a selling price of about 71 cents on the 860 calls to achieve a net neutral cost on the remaining 1020 calls. The remaining 1020 calls would then continue to protect existing sales and give you confidence to make additional sales at higher prices.
  • No new action is currently recommended for 2025 KC Wheat. Earlier this summer we recommended exiting half of the previously recommended July ’25 620 puts once they reached 60 cents (double the original approximate cost) to realize gains in case the market rallies back, while still holding the remaining 620 puts at, or near, a net neutral cost for continued downside coverage on any unsold bushels. To that end, we are currently targeting the upper 400 range versus July ’25 to exit half of those remaining puts. Meanwhile, our current upside strategy is to target the 640 – 670 range, also in the July ’25, to recommend making additional sales.
  • No action is currently recommended for 2026 KC Wheat. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted next year, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following KC recommendations:

Mpls Wheat Action Plan Summary

Since printing a near-term low in mid-July, Minneapolis wheat has trended mostly sideways as the market attempts to balance smaller US and world supplies versus lower world export prices and lower world demand. During this period, managed funds have maintained their sizable, short positions in Minneapolis wheat. Though low Russian export prices continue to keep a lid on US prices, smaller crops in Europe and the Black Sea region could increase US demand, potentially triggering an extended short-covering rally, especially as global wheat ending stocks are projected to decline again this year.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 Minneapolis wheat. With the close below 712 support in June, Grain Market Insider implemented its Plan B stop strategy, recommending additional sales for the 2024 crop due to waning upside momentum and an increased likelihood of a downward trend. Given the heightened volatility and the amount of time that remains to market this crop, we will maintain the current July ’25 KC wheat 860 and 1020 call options. Our target is a selling price of about 71 cents for the 860 calls to achieve a net neutral cost on the remaining 1020 calls. These 1020 calls will continue to protect existing sales and provide confidence to make additional sales at higher prices. While we are at the time of year when market lows often occur, we will consider posting upside targets in late September or early October when market conditions often become more advantageous, and harvest is mostly behind us.
  • No new action is currently recommended for the 2025 Minneapolis wheat crop. Since the growing season can often yield some of the best sales opportunities, we made two separate sales recommendations in July to get some early sales on the books for next year’s crop. While we will not be targeting any specific areas to make additional sales until later in the marketing year, we will continue to monitor the market for opportunities to exit the remaining July ’25 KC 620 puts that were recommended in June. To that end, we are currently targeting the upper 400 range versus July ’25 KC to exit half of those remaining puts.
  • No Action is currently recommended for the 2026 Minneapolis wheat crop. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted 2 years from now, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following Minneapolis wheat recommendations:

Other Charts / Weather

Above: US 5-day precipitation forecast courtesy of NOAA, Weather Prediction Center.

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9-24 End of Day: Corn and Wheat Close Lower on Turnaround Tuesday

All prices as of 2:00 pm Central Time

Grain Market Highlights

  • Following a day of volatile two-sided trade that took December corn to fresh highs, the corn market settled with minor losses with hedge pressure and producer selling likely weighing on prices.
  • The soybean market experienced volatile two-sided trade, which took November prices to their highest levels in two months before retreating on weakness in the meal. Soybean oil continued its rally, closing 1.50 cents higher in December on reports that legislation was proposed in Congress to extend new incentives and protections for US based sustainable aviation fuel.
  • The wheat complex settled the day near its lows following a session of volatile trade that saw both sides of unchanged. Downward pressure likely came from potential profit taking, and weakness in neighboring soybeans and lower Matif wheat futures
  • To see the updated US 5-day precipitation forecast, 6 – 10 day Temperature and Precipitation Outlooks, and 2-week percent of normal Forecast Precipitation for Brazil, courtesy of NOAA, and the Weather Prediction Center, scroll down to the other Charts/Weather section.

Note – For the best viewing experience, some Grain Market Insider content is best viewed with your phone held horizontally.

Corn

Corn Action Plan Summary

Since printing a market low in late August, the corn market has rallied largely on fund short covering as the rush of old crop bushels into the market has slowed and demand has picked up. While the harvest of an expectedly large crop may limit upside potential, it is a good sign that corn buyers are finding value at these multi-year low price levels. Any unexpected downward shift in anticipated supply or increase in demand could trigger managed funds to cover more of their short positions and rally prices further, however, an extended rally is unlikely until after harvest.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 corn. In June, we recommended purchasing Dec ’24 470 and 510 calls after Dec ’24 closed below 451, due to their relative value and the typically high market volatility during that time of year. Although we no longer have an upside objective for additional sales for now, we continue to target a value of 29 cents to exit the Dec ’24 470 calls. Exiting at this level will allow you to lock in gains that offset much of the original position’s cost, while holding the remaining 510 calls at or near a net-neutral cost. This strategy should continue to protect existing sales and provide confidence for further sales during an extended rally. Since harvest time is not an advantageous sales window, we will begin evaluating market conditions once it concludes and target areas for additional sales recommendations in late fall or early winter.
  • No new action is currently recommended for 2025 corn. Between early June and late July Grain Market Insider made three separate sales recommendations to get early sales made for next year’s crop. Considering the seasonal weakness of the market in late summer and early fall, we will not be looking to post any targeted areas for new sales until late fall or early winter. Although, we will look to protect current sales, in the form of buying call options, should the market begin to show signs of a potential extended rally.
  • No Action is currently recommended for 2026 corn. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted 2 years from now, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following corn recommendations:

  • Upward momentum in the corn market faded on Tuesday as prices lost early session gains to finish with mild losses. December corn futures traded to 418 ¼, the highest price level since late July, early in the session, but active farmer selling, and hedge pressure likely weighed on the market.         
  • The corn market has rallied 16 cents from yesterday’s low to today’s high, and over 30 cents off the late August low of 385, before softening today. Corn yield results have been strong overall, and producers are undersold on supplies, which will likely limit potential gains in the corn market.
  • The USDA released crop ratings and harvest progress numbers late Monday afternoon. The corn crop is still rated at 65% good to excellent, holding firm in ratings during a time that ratings traditionally slide. Corn harvest has moved to 14% complete, up 5% week over week, and 3% over the 5-year average.
  • South American weather will remain the focus of the corn and soybean markets in the near future. Hot and dry conditions helped support grain prices in the recent rally. Forecasts are staying on the drier side, but seasonal rains are looking to pick up going into October. Brazil has planted approximately 26% of their first corn crop according to some analyst groups.

Above: Corn condition percent good-excellent (red) versus the 5-year average (green) and last year (pink).

Above: Corn percent harvested (red) versus the 5-year average (green) and last year (brown).

Soybeans

Soybeans Action Plan Summary

Since early September, the soybean market has traded mostly sideways after a late August rally, as weather conditions turned dry during the later development stages of the crop. While the USDA projects record soybean yields for this season, the warm and dry finish to the growing season may have reduced final yields from earlier projections. Although export sales have increased in recent weeks, the current sales pace remains the slowest since 2019, which may still weigh on prices. Any pickup in demand or a decrease in this year’s projected supply could rally prices, especially post-harvest.

  • No new action is recommended for the 2024 crop. In early June, we recommended making additional sales once our Plan B strategy was triggered with the market’s close below 1180, which signaled the potential change in trend. While we typically avoid recommending sales at this time of year, our Plan A strategy remains to take advantage of any significant rally and make additional sales recommendations should the market reach the 1090 – 1120 area in the Nov ’24 contract.
  • No Action is currently recommended for 2025 Soybeans. To date, Grain Market Insider has not recommended any sales for next year’s soybean crop yet. First sales targets will probably be set in late fall or early winter at the earliest. Currently, our focus is on watching for opportunities to recommend buying call options. Should Nov ‘25 reach the upper 1100 range, the likelihood of an extended rally would increase, and we would recommend buying upside call options at that time in preparation for that possibility.
  • No Action is currently recommended for 2026 Soybeans. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted 2 years from now, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following soybean recommendations:

  • Soybeans ended the day slightly higher after a sharp rally yesterday, and a day of volatile trade that saw prices climb at one point to the highest levels since July 26. The primary source of support has been massive fund buying aimed at reducing their short positions as Brazil’s weather remains dry with a questionable forecast.
  • Yesterday afternoon, the USDA released its Crop Progress report, showing that the good to excellent ratings remained unchanged from last week at 64%, while the trade had expected a slight decline to 63%. 13% of the crop is harvested, compared to 6% a week ago and the 5-year average of 10%. 65% of the crop is dropping leaves, up from 44% a week ago.
  • While soybean meal ended the day lower, soybean oil was higher, supported over the past two days by new legislation introduced by the US House and Senate. The legislation would extend a new sustainable aviation tax credit for biofuels and prevent foreign producers from benefitting from it.
  • AgRural reported that it estimates Brazil’s soybean planting to be 0.9% complete. While this is higher than last week’s 0.1%, it remains behind last year’s pace of 1.9%. The delay is largely due to hot and dry weather in the key state of Mato Grosso, where farmers are waiting for more favorable conditions expected to develop in early October.

Above: November soybeans’ strong close above 1031 ¼ resistance suggests that prices could run toward the late July high between 1080 – 1085. Above there, further resistance could be met near the 100-day moving average. If prices retreat, downside support could still be found between the 50-day moving average and 995.

Above: Soybeans condition percent good-excellent (red) versus the 5-year average (green) and last year (pink).

Above: Soybeans percent harvested (red) versus the 5-year average (green) and last year (purple).

Wheat

Market Notes: Wheat

Chicago Wheat Action Plan Summary

Since mid-July, the wheat market has mostly drifted sideways as the trade tries to balance smaller US and global supplies against cheaper world export prices. During this period, a potential seasonal low was also marked on July 29th as managed funds maintained a sizable net short position in Chicago wheat. While slow global import demand and low Russian export prices continue to be a limiting factor in the market, any increase in US demand due to smaller crops in Europe and the Black Sea region could trigger an extended short-covering rally by managed funds.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 Chicago wheat. Considering the rally in wheat back in May, we recommended taking advantage of the elevated prices to make additional sales and buy upside July ’25 860 and 1020 calls (for their extended time frame) in case of a protracted rally. Our current strategy is to target 740 – 760 versus Dec ’24 to recommend further sales, while also targeting a selling price of about 73 cents in the 860 calls to achieve a net neutral cost on the remaining 1020 calls. The remaining 1020 calls would then continue to protect existing sales and give you confidence to make additional sales at higher prices.
  • No new action is recommended for 2025 Chicago wheat. Recently, we recommended taking advantage of the wheat rally to sell more of your anticipated 2025 SRW production. While we continue to recommend holding the remaining July ’25 620 puts — after advising to exit the first half back in July — to maintain downside coverage for any unsold bushels, we are targeting a 10-15% extension from our last sale to the 650–680 area in July ’25 to suggest making additional sales.
  • No action is currently recommended for 2026 Chicago Wheat. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted next year, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following Chicago wheat recommendations:

KC Wheat Action Plan Summary

Since mid-July, the wheat market has mostly drifted sideways as the trade tries to balance smaller US and global wheat supplies against cheaper world export prices. During this period, a potential seasonal low was also marked on the front month continuous charts as managed funds maintained a sizable net short position in the wheat markets. While low Black Sea export prices and slow world demand continue to weigh on US prices, the funds’ short position could trigger an extended short covering rally on any increase in US demand as world wheat ending stocks are expected to fall yet again this year.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 KC wheat. Considering the upside breakout in KC wheat back in May, we recommended buying upside July ’25 860 and 1020 calls (for their extended time frame) in case of a protracted rally. Our current strategy is to target 675 – 700 versus Dec ’24 to recommend further sales, while also targeting a selling price of about 71 cents on the 860 calls to achieve a net neutral cost on the remaining 1020 calls. The remaining 1020 calls would then continue to protect existing sales and give you confidence to make additional sales at higher prices.
  • No new action is currently recommended for 2025 KC Wheat. Earlier this summer we recommended exiting half of the previously recommended July ’25 620 puts once they reached 60 cents (double the original approximate cost) to realize gains in case the market rallies back, while still holding the remaining 620 puts at, or near, a net neutral cost for continued downside coverage on any unsold bushels. To that end, we are currently targeting the upper 400 range versus July ’25 to exit half of those remaining puts. Meanwhile, our current upside strategy is to target the 640 – 670 range, also in the July ’25, to recommend making additional sales.
  • No action is currently recommended for 2026 KC Wheat. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted next year, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following KC recommendations:

Above: Winter wheat percent planted (red) versus the 5-year average (green) and last year (purple).

Mpls Wheat Action Plan Summary

Since printing a near-term low in mid-July, Minneapolis wheat has trended mostly sideways as the market attempts to balance smaller US and world supplies versus lower world export prices and lower world demand. During this period, managed funds have maintained their sizable, short positions in Minneapolis wheat. Though low Russian export prices continue to keep a lid on US prices, smaller crops in Europe and the Black Sea region could increase US demand, potentially triggering an extended short-covering rally, especially as global wheat ending stocks are projected to decline again this year.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 Minneapolis wheat. With the close below 712 support in June, Grain Market Insider implemented its Plan B stop strategy, recommending additional sales for the 2024 crop due to waning upside momentum and an increased likelihood of a downward trend. Given the heightened volatility and the amount of time that remains to market this crop, we will maintain the current July ’25 KC wheat 860 and 1020 call options. Our target is a selling price of about 71 cents for the 860 calls to achieve a net neutral cost on the remaining 1020 calls. These 1020 calls will continue to protect existing sales and provide confidence to make additional sales at higher prices. While we are at the time of year when market lows often occur, we will consider posting upside targets in late September or early October when market conditions often become more advantageous, and harvest is mostly behind us.
  • No new action is currently recommended for the 2025 Minneapolis wheat crop. Since the growing season can often yield some of the best sales opportunities, we made two separate sales recommendations in July to get some early sales on the books for next year’s crop. While we will not be targeting any specific areas to make additional sales until later in the marketing year, we will continue to monitor the market for opportunities to exit the remaining July ’25 KC 620 puts that were recommended in June. To that end, we are currently targeting the upper 400 range versus July ’25 KC to exit half of those remaining puts.
  • No Action is currently recommended for the 2026 Minneapolis wheat crop. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted 2 years from now, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following Minneapolis wheat recommendations:

Above: Spring wheat percent harvested (red) versus the 5-year average (green) and last year (purple).

Other Charts / Weather

Above: US 5-day precipitation forecast courtesy of NOAA, Weather Prediction Center.

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9-23 End of Day: Green Across the Board as Funds Cover Shorts

All prices as of 2:00 pm Central Time

Grain Market Highlights

  • Fund short covering and corn export inspections that came in above expectations, helped push December corn prices to within pennies of the September high and post their highest close since late July.
  • The soybean complex closed with sharp gains across all three commodities. Short covering in soybeans, fueled by potentially lower-than-expected early yields, dry Brazilian weather, and support from meal and oil, drove November soybeans to their best close since early August.
  • Potential fund short covering was also the likely factor in today’s rally across the wheat complex in which all three classes closed within pennies of the day’s highs, fueled by increased global geo-political uncertainty.
  • To see the updated US 5-day precipitation forecast, 6 – 10 day Temperature and Precipitation Outlooks, and 2-week Forecast Precipitation for South America, courtesy of NOAA, and the Weather Prediction Center, scroll down to the other Charts/Weather section.

Note – For the best viewing experience, some Grain Market Insider content is best viewed with your phone held horizontally.

Corn

Corn Action Plan Summary

Since printing a market low in late August, the corn market has rallied largely on fund short covering as the rush of old crop bushels into the market has slowed and demand has picked up. While the harvest of an expectedly large crop may limit upside potential, it is a good sign that corn buyers are finding value at these multi-year low price levels. Any unexpected downward shift in anticipated supply or increase in demand could trigger managed funds to cover more of their short positions and rally prices further, however, an extended rally is unlikely until after harvest.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 corn. In June, we recommended purchasing Dec ’24 470 and 510 calls after Dec ’24 closed below 451, due to their relative value and the typically high market volatility during that time of year. Although we no longer have an upside objective for additional sales for now, we continue to target a value of 29 cents to exit the Dec ’24 470 calls. Exiting at this level will allow you to lock in gains that offset much of the original position’s cost, while holding the remaining 510 calls at or near a net-neutral cost. This strategy should continue to protect existing sales and provide confidence for further sales during an extended rally. Since harvest time is not an advantageous sales window, we will begin evaluating market conditions once it concludes and target areas for additional sales recommendations in late fall or early winter.
  • No new action is currently recommended for 2025 corn. Between early June and late July Grain Market Insider made three separate sales recommendations to get early sales made for next year’s crop. Considering the seasonal weakness of the market in late summer and early fall, we will not be looking to post any targeted areas for new sales until late fall or early winter. Although, we will look to protect current sales, in the form of buying call options, should the market begin to show signs of a potential extended rally.
  • No Action is currently recommended for 2026 corn. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted 2 years from now, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following corn recommendations:

  • Buying strength, fueled by short covering, helped push the corn market to double-digit gains to start the week. The close today marks the highest close in December corn on the daily chart going back to July 25, a couple of months ago.
  • Corn futures are challenging resistance on the December chart. Today’s close is testing a multi-month long-term trendline for the December futures contract. Corn prices could see additional short covering and strength if this resistance level were to break.
  • Weekly export inspection for corn improved over last week. US exporters shipped 43.4 mb (1.103 mmt) of corn last week, up sharply from the week before. For the marketing year, total shipments are running 6% ahead of last year.
  • Corn harvest was 9% complete in last week’s Crop Progress report. Expectations are for a steady increase in harvest activity given the friendly weather for most of the week. A strong harvest pace could limit price rallies with hedging pressure on the corn market.

Above: Corn Managed Money Funds net position as of Tuesday, September 17. Net position in Green versus price in Red. Managers net sold 2,680 contracts between September 11 – 17, bringing their total position to a net short 134,814 contracts.

Soybeans

Soybeans Action Plan Summary

Since early September, the soybean market has traded mostly sideways after a late August rally, as weather conditions turned dry during the later development stages of the crop. While the USDA projects record soybean yields for this season, the warm and dry finish to the growing season may have reduced final yields from earlier projections. Although export sales have increased in recent weeks, the current sales pace remains the slowest since 2019, which may still weigh on prices. Any pickup in demand or a decrease in this year’s projected supply could rally prices, especially post-harvest.

  • No new action is recommended for the 2024 crop. At the end of December, we recommended buying Nov ’24 1280 and 1360 calls due to the uncertainty surrounding the 2024 soybean crop, aiming to give you the confidence to make sales and protect those sales during an extended rally. Since the market has retreated since that time, we continue to target the 1040–1070 range versus Nov ’24 futures to exit one-third of the 1280 calls in order to help preserve equity. Additionally, in June, the close below 1180 triggered our Plan B strategy, which recommended making additional sales due to the potential change in trend. While we typically avoid recommending sales at this time of year, our Plan A strategy is to make additional sales recommendations should the market rally significantly toward the 1090 – 1120 area in the Nov ’24 contract.
  • No Action is currently recommended for 2025 Soybeans. To date, Grain Market Insider has not recommended any sales for next year’s soybean crop yet. First sales targets will probably be set in late fall or early winter at the earliest. Currently, our focus is on watching for opportunities to recommend buying call options. Should Nov ‘25 reach the upper 1100 range, the likelihood of an extended rally would increase, and we would recommend buying upside call options at that time in preparation for that possibility.
  • No Action is currently recommended for 2026 Soybeans. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted 2 years from now, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following soybean recommendations:

  • Soybeans ended the day sharply higher, breaking out of their recent trading range by a wide margin. November futures closed above the top of their Bollinger band but were unable to fill the gap left on the chart at 1045. Dry weather in Brazil, potentially lower US soybean yields, and fund buying of short positions provided support today. Both soybean meal and oil also finished higher.
  • Harvest has begun, and the Crop Progress report later today is expected to show the crop between 13% and 15% harvested. Some producers have reported over the weekend that yields may not be as large as expected following the 30-day period of hot and dry weather in August, so the USDA may need to adjust its soybean yield estimate lower.
  • In Brazil, conditions remain extremely dry, and just 0.5% of the crop has been planted which compares to the average pace of 1.5%. The country is expected to receive rain in the beginning of October.
  • This morning, the USDA reported private export sales totaling 165,000 metric tons of soybeans for delivery to unknown destinations during the 24/25 marketing year.
  • Today’s export inspections report showed soybean inspections at 17.8 mb for the week ending September 19 with total inspections for 24/25 at 45 mb, down 6% from this time last year. Inspections were within the range of trade estimates.
  • Friday’s CFTC report showed managed funds bought 8,186 soybean contracts as of Tuesday, September 17, reducing their net short position to 122,415 contracts – a decrease of just over 63,000 contracts since mid-July.

Above: November soybeans’ strong close above 1031 ¼ resistance suggests that prices could run toward the late July high between 1080 – 1085. Above there, further resistance could be met near the 100-day moving average. If prices retreat, downside support could still be found between the 50-day moving average and 995.

Above: Soybean Managed Money Funds net position as of Tuesday, September 17. Net position in Green versus price in Red. Money Managers net bought 8,186 contracts between September 11 – 17, bringing their total position to a net short 122,415 contracts.

Wheat

Market Notes: Wheat

  • Wheat closed with solid gains across the board. Fund short covering of grain contracts likely fueled today’s surge. Paris milling wheat futures were also up strongly, supporting US wheat prices. As the US heads into election season and with two wars ongoing worldwide, uncertainty looms over the marketplace. Additionally, news that Japan fired warning flares at Russian jets, which violated their airspace, has heightened global geopolitical tensions.
  • Weekly wheat export inspections at 26.1 mb bring total 24/25 inspections to 282 mb, which is up 36% from a year ago and running ahead of the USDA’s estimated pace. Total 24/25 exports are estimated at 825 mb, a 17% increase from the year prior.
  • Data from the CFTC indicated that as of Tuesday, September 17, funds were buyers of about 10,000 wheat contracts across all three classes of wheat. This brought their total net short position to 59,000 contracts, which is the smallest in about three months.
  • According to their agriculture ministry, Ukraine’s grain harvest has reached 31.9 mmt as of Friday, compared to 29.8 mmt at this time last year. Of that total, wheat made up the majority with 22.3 mmt collected, up slightly from last year’s 22.2 mmt.
  • Global issues in key wheat-growing regions have added to the bullishness. In Argentina, reports suggest that some farmers are abandoning wheat fields due to severe drought. Meanwhile, in the northern hemisphere, Coceral has lowered its estimate for EU and UK wheat production by 8.5 mmt, bringing the total to 126 mmt.

Chicago Wheat Action Plan Summary

Since mid-July, the wheat market has mostly drifted sideways as the trade tries to balance smaller US and global supplies against cheaper world export prices. During this period, a potential seasonal low was also marked on July 29th as managed funds maintained a sizable net short position in Chicago wheat. While slow global import demand and low Russian export prices continue to be a limiting factor in the market, any increase in US demand due to smaller crops in Europe and the Black Sea region could trigger an extended short-covering rally by managed funds.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 Chicago wheat. Considering the rally in wheat back in May, we recommended taking advantage of the elevated prices to make additional sales and buy upside July ’25 860 and 1020 calls (for their extended time frame) in case of a protracted rally. Our current strategy is to target 740 – 760 versus Dec ’24 to recommend further sales, while also targeting a selling price of about 73 cents in the 860 calls to achieve a net neutral cost on the remaining 1020 calls. The remaining 1020 calls would then continue to protect existing sales and give you confidence to make additional sales at higher prices.
  • No new action is recommended for 2025 Chicago wheat. Recently, we recommended taking advantage of the wheat rally to sell more of your anticipated 2025 SRW production. While we continue to recommend holding the remaining July ’25 620 puts — after advising to exit the first half back in July — to maintain downside coverage for any unsold bushels, we are targeting a 10-15% extension from our last sale to the 650–680 area in July ’25 to suggest making additional sales.
  • No action is currently recommended for 2026 Chicago Wheat. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted next year, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following Chicago wheat recommendations:

Above: Chicago Wheat Managed Money Funds net position as of Tuesday, September 17. Net position in Green versus price in Red. Money Managers net bought 4,364 contracts between September 11 – 17, bringing their total position to a net short 25,033 contracts.

KC Wheat Action Plan Summary

Since mid-July, the wheat market has mostly drifted sideways as the trade tries to balance smaller US and global wheat supplies against cheaper world export prices. During this period, a potential seasonal low was also marked on the front month continuous charts as managed funds maintained a sizable net short position in the wheat markets. While low Black Sea export prices and slow world demand continue to weigh on US prices, the funds’ short position could trigger an extended short covering rally on any increase in US demand as world wheat ending stocks are expected to fall yet again this year.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 KC wheat. Considering the upside breakout in KC wheat back in May, we recommended buying upside July ’25 860 and 1020 calls (for their extended time frame) in case of a protracted rally. Our current strategy is to target 725 – 750 versus Dec ’24 to recommend further sales, while also targeting a selling price of about 71 cents on the 860 calls to achieve a net neutral cost on the remaining 1020 calls. The remaining 1020 calls would then continue to protect existing sales and give you confidence to make additional sales at higher prices.
  • No new action is currently recommended for 2025 KC Wheat. Earlier this summer we recommended exiting half of the previously recommended July ’25 620 puts once they reached 60 cents (double the original approximate cost) to realize gains in case the market rallies back, while still holding the remaining 620 puts at, or near, a net neutral cost for continued downside coverage on any unsold bushels. To that end, we are currently targeting the upper 400 range versus July ’25 to exit half of those remaining puts. Meanwhile, our current upside strategy is to target the 640 – 670 range, also in the July ’25, to recommend making additional sales.
  • No action is currently recommended for 2026 KC Wheat. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted next year, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following KC recommendations:

Above: KC Wheat Managed Money Funds net position as of Tuesday, September 17. Net position in Green versus price in Red. Money Managers net bought 1,024 contracts between September 11 – 17, bringing their total position to a net short 17,486 contracts.

Mpls Wheat Action Plan Summary

Since printing a near-term low in mid-July, Minneapolis wheat has trended mostly sideways as the market attempts to balance smaller US and world supplies versus lower world export prices and lower world demand. During this period, managed funds have maintained their sizable, short positions in Minneapolis wheat. Though low Russian export prices continue to keep a lid on US prices, smaller crops in Europe and the Black Sea region could increase US demand, potentially triggering an extended short-covering rally, especially as global wheat ending stocks are projected to decline again this year.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 Minneapolis wheat. With the close below 712 support in June, Grain Market Insider implemented its Plan B stop strategy, recommending additional sales for the 2024 crop due to waning upside momentum and an increased likelihood of a downward trend. Given the heightened volatility and the amount of time that remains to market this crop, we will maintain the current July ’25 KC wheat 860 and 1020 call options. Our target is a selling price of about 71 cents for the 860 calls to achieve a net neutral cost on the remaining 1020 calls. These 1020 calls will continue to protect existing sales and provide confidence to make additional sales at higher prices. While we are at the time of year when market lows often occur, we will consider posting upside targets in late September or early October when market conditions often become more advantageous, and harvest is mostly behind us.
  • No new action is currently recommended for the 2025 Minneapolis wheat crop. Since the growing season can often yield some of the best sales opportunities, we made two separate sales recommendations in July to get some early sales on the books for next year’s crop. While we will not be targeting any specific areas to make additional sales until later in the marketing year, we will continue to monitor the market for opportunities to exit the remaining July ’25 KC 620 puts that were recommended in June. To that end, we are currently targeting the upper 400 range versus July ’25 KC to exit half of those remaining puts.
  • No Action is currently recommended for the 2026 Minneapolis wheat crop. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted 2 years from now, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following Minneapolis wheat recommendations:

Above: Minneapolis Wheat Managed Money Funds net position as of Tuesday, September 17. Net position in Green versus price in Red. Money Managers net bought 5,165 contracts between September 11 – 17, bringing their total position to a net short 16,542 contracts.

Other Charts / Weather

Above: US 5-day precipitation forecast courtesy of NOAA, Weather Prediction Center.

Above: Argentina 2-week forecast total precipitation courtesy of the National Weather Service, Climate Prediction Center.

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9-20 End of Day: Grain Markets Settle Mostly Lower to End the Week

All prices as of 2:00 pm Central Time

Grain Market Highlights

  • For the second consecutive day the corn market closed lower on the day, with harvest pressure and October options expiration contributing to the negativity.
  • The soybean market remained in a sideways trend, closing with minor losses as October options expired after a day of choppy trade. Soybean meal followed a similar pattern, closing lower, while bean oil settled higher for the fifth consecutive day, supported by stronger palm oil prices, which in turn helped support soybeans.
  • The wheat complex ended the day mixed after trading higher across the board on shrinking Australian and EU production estimates. Forecasts for rain in the parched HRW areas enticed sellers in the KC contracts, which led the trade lower.
  • To see the updated US 7-day precipitation forecast, US Seasonal Drought Outlook, and 2-week Forecast Precipitation for South America, courtesy of NOAA, the Weather Prediction Center, and NDMC scroll down to the other Charts/Weather section.

Note – For the best viewing experience, some Grain Market Insider content is best viewed with your phone held horizontally.

Corn

Corn Action Plan Summary

Since printing a market low in late August the corn market has rallied largely on fund short covering as the rush of old crop bushels into the market has slowed and demand has picked up. While the upcoming harvest of an expectedly large crop may continue to limit upside potential, it is a good sign that corn buyers are finding value at these multi-year low price levels. Any unexpected downward shift in anticipated supply or increase in demand could trigger managed funds to cover more of their extensive short positions and rally prices further, however, an extended rally is unlikely until after harvest.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 corn. In June, we recommended purchasing Dec ’24 470 and 510 calls after Dec ’24 closed below 451, due to their relative value and the typically high market volatility during that time of year. Although we no longer have an upside objective for additional sales for now, we continue to target a value of 29 cents to exit the Dec ’24 470 calls. Exiting at this level will allow you to lock in gains that offset much of the original position’s cost, while holding the remaining 510 calls at or near a net-neutral cost. This strategy should continue to protect existing sales and provide confidence for further sales during an extended rally. Since harvest time is not an advantageous sales window, we will begin evaluating market conditions once it concludes and target areas for additional sales recommendations in late fall or early winter.
  • No new action is currently recommended for 2025 corn. Between early June and late July Grain Market Insider made three separate sales recommendations to get early sales made for next year’s crop. Considering the seasonal weakness of the market in late summer and early fall, we will not be looking to post any targeted areas for new sales until late fall or early winter. Although, we will look to protect current sales, in the form of buying call options, should the market begin to show signs of a potential extended rally.
  • No Action is currently recommended for 2026 corn. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted 2 years from now, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following corn recommendations:

  • The corn market finished lower on the session for the second straight day. Hedge pressure and October grain options expiration likely pressured the market lower to end the week. December corn closed the week 11 ½ cents lower.
  • Corn harvest continues to ramp up across the Midwest as favorable weather supports progress. Early results show strong yields in most regions, which could offset losses in other areas caused by spring weather. As fresh supplies enter the pipeline, upside potential may be limited as harvest advances.
  • Low Mississippi River levels in the Memphis area is a concern for the transportation of bushels to export markets. Restrictive flow has increased freight costs, which impacts the price of corn to the export market, and the backlog of corn will likely pressure basis levels in the cash market.
  • Managed Funds have eliminated over 200,000 net short contracts since reaching their maximum short positions in early July. This has happened despite a muted rally in the corn market. On Friday’s Commitment of Traders report, expectations are for funds to be under 100,000 net short contracts, pushing their lowest net short for the year with harvest starting to build.

Soybeans

Soybeans Action Plan Summary

Since early September, the soybean market has traded mostly sideways after a late August rally, as weather conditions turned dry during the later development stages of the crop. While the USDA projects record soybean yields for this season, the warm and dry finish to the growing season may have reduced final yields from earlier projections. Although export sales have increased in recent weeks, the current sales pace remains the slowest since 2019, which may still weigh on prices. Any pickup in demand or a decrease in this year’s projected supply could rally prices, especially post-harvest.

  • No new action is recommended for the 2024 crop. At the end of December, we recommended buying Nov ’24 1280 and 1360 calls due to the uncertainty surrounding the 2024 soybean crop, aiming to give you the confidence to make sales and protect those sales during an extended rally. Since the market has retreated since that time, we continue to target the 1040–1070 range versus Nov ’24 futures to exit one-third of the 1280 calls in order to help preserve equity. Additionally, in June, the close below 1180 triggered our Plan B strategy, which recommended making additional sales due to the potential change in trend. While we typically avoid recommending sales at this time of year, our Plan A strategy is to make additional sales recommendations should the market rally significantly toward the 1090 – 1120 area in the Nov ’24 contract.
  • No Action is currently recommended for 2025 Soybeans. To date, Grain Market Insider has not recommended any sales for next year’s soybean crop yet. First sales targets will probably be set in late fall or early winter at the earliest. Currently, our focus is on watching for opportunities to recommend buying call options. Should Nov ‘25 reach the upper 1100 range, the likelihood of an extended rally would increase, and we would recommend buying upside call options at that time in preparation for that possibility.
  • No Action is currently recommended for 2026 Soybeans. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted 2 years from now, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following soybean recommendations:

  • Soybean markets finished slightly lower with choppy trade during the session. The loss of upward momentum and October options expiration likely pressured soybeans as harvest continues to push forward.
  • Despite being a serial option, October grain options expired today, and prices typically gravitate toward areas with significant open interest on expiration day. At the start of the session, there was a combined open interest of nearly 16,000 put options at the 1000 and 1010 levels. With the market closing at 1012, those puts expired worthless at the close.
  • The USDA announced a flash sale of soybeans this morning. China purchased 121,000mt (4.4 mb) of US soybeans for the 24/25 marketing year. Soybean demand has improved in recent weeks, but total sales for the 24/25 marketing year are still at their lowest totals since the 18/19 marketing year.
  • In South America, conditions have been very dry especially in Brazil, which has slowed soybean planting in the early part of the season. Weather models are seeing improved rainfall chances late next week into October, in line with the start of the Brazil rainy season. If forecasts materialize, the improved moisture chances in Brazil will limit the soybean futures market.

Above: After entering the 1005 – 1040 resistance area, November soybeans posted a bearish key reversal which remains intact, suggesting prices could erode further. Below the market, support remains between 960 and 955, with key support near the August low of 940.

Wheat

Market Notes: Wheat

  • With little fresh news for buyers to sink their teeth into, the wheat complex gave up its earlier gains from reports of lower production in Europe and Australia and ended the day mixed, on the prospect of rain over the weekend.
  • The Belgian trade association, Coceral, lowered its EU grain production forecast to 280.3 million metric tons, down from its June estimate of 296 mmt. Of this total, 126 mmt is soft wheat, reduced from 134.5 mmt in June.
  • Argentina’s prolonged drought is causing some farmers to abandon wheat fields in the northern and western regions. In contrast, around 80% of the wheat crop in the eastern areas is reportedly in normal to excellent condition.
  • In Western Australia, the Grain Industry Association reduced the region’s wheat production estimate by 7% from last month, lowering it to 9.3 mmt due to dry weather. Nationally, Australia is projected to produce 31.8 mmt, according to ABARES.
  • In the US, a system is expected to bring some widespread rain with some heavier precipitation across the central and southern Plains over the weekend, which should improve conditions and help newly planted wheat get established.

Chicago Wheat Action Plan Summary

Since mid-July, the wheat market has mostly drifted sideways as the trade tries to balance smaller US and global supplies against cheaper world export prices. During this period, a potential seasonal low was also marked on July 29th as managed funds maintained a sizable net short position in Chicago wheat. While slow global import demand and low Russian export prices continue to be a limiting factor in the market, any increase in US demand due to smaller crops in Europe and the Black Sea region could trigger an extended short-covering rally by managed funds.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 Chicago wheat. Considering the rally in wheat back in May, we recommended taking advantage of the elevated prices to make additional sales and buy upside July ’25 860 and 1020 calls (for their extended time frame) in case of a protracted rally. Our current strategy is to target 740 – 760 versus Dec ’24 to recommend further sales, while also targeting a selling price of about 73 cents in the 860 calls to achieve a net neutral cost on the remaining 1020 calls. The remaining 1020 calls would then continue to protect existing sales and give you confidence to make additional sales at higher prices.
  • No new action is recommended for 2025 Chicago wheat. Recently, we recommended taking advantage of the wheat rally to sell more of your anticipated 2025 SRW production. While we continue to recommend holding the remaining July ’25 620 puts — after advising to exit the first half back in July — to maintain downside coverage for any unsold bushels, we are targeting a 10-15% extension from our last sale to the 650–680 area in July ’25 to suggest making additional sales.
  • No action is currently recommended for 2026 Chicago Wheat. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted next year, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following Chicago wheat recommendations:

KC Wheat Action Plan Summary

Since mid-July, the wheat market has mostly drifted sideways as the trade tries to balance smaller US and global wheat supplies against cheaper world export prices. During this period, a potential seasonal low was also marked on the front month continuous charts as managed funds maintained a sizable net short position in the wheat markets. While low Black Sea export prices and slow world demand continue to weigh on US prices, the funds’ short position could trigger an extended short covering rally on any increase in US demand as world wheat ending stocks are expected to fall yet again this year.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 KC wheat. Considering the upside breakout in KC wheat back in May, we recommended buying upside July ’25 860 and 1020 calls (for their extended time frame) in case of a protracted rally. Our current strategy is to target 725 – 750 versus Dec ’24 to recommend further sales, while also targeting a selling price of about 71 cents on the 860 calls to achieve a net neutral cost on the remaining 1020 calls. The remaining 1020 calls would then continue to protect existing sales and give you confidence to make additional sales at higher prices.
  • No new action is currently recommended for 2025 KC Wheat. Earlier this summer we recommended exiting half of the previously recommended July ’25 620 puts once they reached 60 cents (double the original approximate cost) to realize gains in case the market rallies back, while still holding the remaining 620 puts at, or near, a net neutral cost for continued downside coverage on any unsold bushels. To that end, we are currently targeting the upper 400 range versus July ’25 to exit half of those remaining puts. Meanwhile, our current upside strategy is to target the 640 – 670 range, also in the July ’25, to recommend making additional sales.
  • No action is currently recommended for 2026 KC Wheat. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted next year, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following KC recommendations:

Mpls Wheat Action Plan Summary

Since printing a near-term low in mid-July, Minneapolis wheat has trended mostly sideways as the market attempts to balance smaller US and world supplies versus lower world export prices and lower world demand. During this period, managed funds have maintained their sizable, short positions in Minneapolis wheat. Though low Russian export prices continue to keep a lid on US prices, smaller crops in Europe and the Black Sea region could increase US demand, potentially triggering an extended short-covering rally, especially as global wheat ending stocks are projected to decline again this year.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 Minneapolis wheat. With the close below 712 support in June, Grain Market Insider implemented its Plan B stop strategy, recommending additional sales for the 2024 crop due to waning upside momentum and an increased likelihood of a downward trend. Given the heightened volatility and the amount of time that remains to market this crop, we will maintain the current July ’25 KC wheat 860 and 1020 call options. Our target is a selling price of about 71 cents for the 860 calls to achieve a net neutral cost on the remaining 1020 calls. These 1020 calls will continue to protect existing sales and provide confidence to make additional sales at higher prices. While we are at the time of year when market lows often occur, we will consider posting upside targets in late September or early October when market conditions often become more advantageous, and harvest is mostly behind us.
  • No new action is currently recommended for the 2025 Minneapolis wheat crop. Since the growing season can often yield some of the best sales opportunities, we made two separate sales recommendations in July to get some early sales on the books for next year’s crop. While we will not be targeting any specific areas to make additional sales until later in the marketing year, we will continue to monitor the market for opportunities to exit the remaining July ’25 KC 620 puts that were recommended in June. To that end, we are currently targeting the upper 400 range versus July ’25 KC to exit half of those remaining puts.
  • No Action is currently recommended for the 2026 Minneapolis wheat crop. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted 2 years from now, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following Minneapolis wheat recommendations:

Other Charts / Weather

US 7-day precipitation forecast courtesy of NOAA, Weather Prediction Center.

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9-19 End of Day: Wheat Leads the Way Down; Corn and Beans Follow

All prices as of 2:00 pm Central Time

Grain Market Highlights

  • Bolstered by weakness in the wheat market and the failure to push through upside resistance yesterday, sellers took control in the corn market, erasing the gains made since last Friday.
  • Despite strong export sales that were well above expectations, the soybean market closed mid-range and fractionally lower across the board after trading on both sides of unchanged through the day. Soybean meal settled near unchanged and mixed, while bean oil extended its rally on exceptional old crop export sales.
  • Even though drought worsened in the US winter wheat areas, poor export sales and the apparent easing of tensions in the Black Sea region kept sellers active in the wheat market, with all three classes closing near the day’s lows.
  • To see the updated US Drought Monitor, Monthly Temperature and Precipitation Outlooks for October, and 2-week Forecast Precipitation for South America, courtesy of NOAA, and the Weather Prediction Center, scroll down to the other Charts/Weather section.

Note – For the best viewing experience, some Grain Market Insider content is best viewed with your phone held horizontally.

Corn

Corn Action Plan Summary

Since printing a market low in late August the corn market has rallied largely on fund short covering as the rush of old crop bushels into the market has slowed and demand has picked up. While the upcoming harvest of an expectedly large crop may continue to limit upside potential, it is a good sign that corn buyers are finding value at these multi-year low price levels. Any unexpected downward shift in anticipated supply or increase in demand could trigger managed funds to cover more of their extensive short positions and rally prices further, however, an extended rally is unlikely until after harvest.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 corn. In June, we recommended purchasing Dec ’24 470 and 510 calls after Dec ’24 closed below 451, due to their relative value and the typically high market volatility during that time of year. Although we no longer have an upside objective for additional sales for now, we continue to target a value of 29 cents to exit the Dec ’24 470 calls. Exiting at this level will allow you to lock in gains that offset much of the original position’s cost, while holding the remaining 510 calls at or near a net-neutral cost. This strategy should continue to protect existing sales and provide confidence for further sales during an extended rally. Since harvest time is not an advantageous sales window, we will begin evaluating market conditions once it concludes and target areas for additional sales recommendations in late fall or early winter.
  • No new action is currently recommended for 2025 corn. Between early June and late July Grain Market Insider made three separate sales recommendations to get early sales made for next year’s crop. Considering the seasonal weakness of the market in late summer and early fall, we will not be looking to post any targeted areas for new sales until late fall or early winter. Although, we will look to protect current sales, in the form of buying call options, should the market begin to show signs of a potential extended rally.
  • No Action is currently recommended for 2026 corn. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted 2 years from now, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following corn recommendations:

  • Selling in the wheat market pressured corn prices lower during the session. Charts have turned more negative technically as prices failed to push through the most recent high of 416 on September 6, as the momentum to the upside looks to have faded in the past couple sessions.
  • The USDA reported weekly export sales this morning. USDA posted new net sales of 33.36 mb (847,400 mt) for 24/25. This total was in line with expectations and above last week’s 666,500 mt. China continues to be absent from the US corn export market. The last reported flash sale of corn to China was on April 14, 2023.
  • Roughly 26% of US corn acres are in drought, which has increased as forecasts have remained warm and dry over the past couple of weeks. The dry weather may have reduced some of the top end of the crop that was late planted but has also allowed harvest to ramp up, triggering some hedging pressure in the market.
  • Brazilian dry weather has brought some premium into US grain markets, but forecast models look to be turning wetter as the calendar moves into October. The return of rainfall will speed the planting pace for both soybeans and first crop corn. Estimates have the first crop of Brazilian corn at 19% planted, just below multi-year averages.

Soybeans

Soybeans Action Plan Summary

Since early September, the soybean market has traded mostly sideways after a late August rally, as weather conditions turned dry during the later development stages of the crop. While the USDA projects record soybean yields for this season, the warm and dry finish to the growing season may have reduced final yields from earlier projections. Although export sales have increased in recent weeks, the current sales pace remains the slowest since 2019, which may still weigh on prices. Any pickup in demand or a decrease in this year’s projected supply could rally prices, especially post-harvest.

  • No new action is recommended for the 2024 crop. At the end of December, we recommended buying Nov ’24 1280 and 1360 calls due to the uncertainty surrounding the 2024 soybean crop, aiming to give you the confidence to make sales and protect those sales during an extended rally. Since the market has retreated since that time, we continue to target the 1040–1070 range versus Nov ’24 futures to exit one-third of the 1280 calls in order to help preserve equity. Additionally, in June, the close below 1180 triggered our Plan B strategy, which recommended making additional sales due to the potential change in trend. While we typically avoid recommending sales at this time of year, our Plan A strategy is to make additional sales recommendations should the market rally significantly toward the 1090 – 1120 area in the Nov ’24 contract.
  • No Action is currently recommended for 2025 Soybeans. To date, Grain Market Insider has not recommended any sales for next year’s soybean crop yet. First sales targets will probably be set in late fall or early winter at the earliest. Currently, our focus is on watching for opportunities to recommend buying call options. Should Nov ‘25 reach the upper 1100 range, the likelihood of an extended rally would increase, and we would recommend buying upside call options at that time in preparation for that possibility.
  • No Action is currently recommended for 2026 Soybeans. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted 2 years from now, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following soybean recommendations:

  • Soybeans ended the day slightly lower after trading on either side of unchanged throughout the day. Initially, strong export sales were supportive of soybeans, but corn and wheat faded into the day and brought soybeans down with them. The stock market was sharply higher today following yesterday’s Fed announcement to cut interest rates by 50 points which may have seen money flowing out of grains and into stocks.
  • Soybean meal was mixed to end the day with the front months higher and deferred months lower, while soybean oil got a boost from strong export sales and followed crude oil and other veg oils higher. Last week, top exporter of soybean meal, Argentina, purchased over 88,000 mt of soybeans from the US for the first time since 2019, but in today’s export sales report, it was revealed that the sale was cancelled. US soybeans remain cheaper than those in Brazil which makes the cancellation interesting.
  • Today’s export sales report saw an increase of a whopping 64.2 mb of soybean sales for 24/25 and 0.3 mb for 25/26. This was well above the average trade estimate and was also above the top end of trade estimates. Last week’s export shipments of 16.4 mb were below the 36.0 mb needed each week to meet the USDA’s estimates. Primary destinations were to Mexico, China, and Indonesia.
  • In South America, conditions have been very dry, especially in Brazil, and key growing areas such as Mato Grosso are forecast to have at least 10 more days without rain. Chances of rain improve for early October, but if the rain does not materialize, it could be friendly to soybean prices.

Above: After entering the 1005 – 1040 resistance area, November soybeans posted a bearish key reversal which remains intact, suggesting prices could erode further. Below the market, support remains between 960 and 955, with key support near the August low of 940.

Wheat

Market Notes: Wheat

  • Wheat led the grain complex lower today with double-digit losses for both Chicago and Kansas City futures. It appears that the situation between Russia and Ukraine has somewhat cooled off after a Russian missile hit a Ukrainian vessel last week. With the easing of tensions there, and a lack of fresh friendly news, the wheat market seems to have run out of steam.
  • The USDA reported an increase of 9.0 mb of wheat export sales for 24/25 as well as an increase of 0.4 mb for 25/26. Shipments last week at 23.6 mb far exceeded the 15.8 mb pace needed per week to reach the USDA’s export goal of 825 mb. Additionally, sales commitments have reached 405 mb which are up 28% from last year.
  • Drought continues to worsen in winter wheat areas. According to the USDA, as of September 17, about 58% of US wheat acres were experiencing drought. This is up 1% from last week, however some relief may be on the way. The US central and southern Plains are expected to continue to receive isolated showers over the next few days and into early next week. The Midwest is also anticipated to see scattered rains through Sunday.
  • December Chicago daily wheat charts have the 21, 40, and 50-day moving averages all converged around the 560 area. This may be an important support level, but if violated, could mean that wheat has more downside ahead. Currently, technical indicators including the RSI and stochastics both show downward momentum.
  • On a bullish note, the International Grains Council is reported to have decreased their world wheat production estimate by 1 mmt, now seen at 798 mmt. For reference, the USDA used a figure of 797 mmt in their September estimate.
  • According to FranceAgriMer, their estimate of French soft wheat exports for 24/25 are now projected at 10.1 mmt. This is a drop from the July estimate of 14.1 mmt. Stockpiles were also cut to 2.74 mmt versus 3.04 mmt in July. Reportedly, the reason for the decline is due to fewer sales outside the EU bloc.

Chicago Wheat Action Plan Summary

Since mid-July, the wheat market has mostly drifted sideways as the trade tries to balance smaller US and global supplies against cheaper world export prices. During this period, a potential seasonal low was also marked on July 29th as managed funds maintained a sizable net short position in Chicago wheat. While slow global import demand and low Russian export prices continue to be a limiting factor in the market, any increase in US demand due to smaller crops in Europe and the Black Sea region could trigger an extended short-covering rally by managed funds.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 Chicago wheat. Considering the rally in wheat back in May, we recommended taking advantage of the elevated prices to make additional sales and buy upside July ’25 860 and 1020 calls (for their extended time frame) in case of a protracted rally. Our current strategy is to target 740 – 760 versus Dec ’24 to recommend further sales, while also targeting a selling price of about 73 cents in the 860 calls to achieve a net neutral cost on the remaining 1020 calls. The remaining 1020 calls would then continue to protect existing sales and give you confidence to make additional sales at higher prices.
  • No new action is recommended for 2025 Chicago wheat. Recently, we recommended taking advantage of the wheat rally to sell more of your anticipated 2025 SRW production. While we continue to recommend holding the remaining July ’25 620 puts — after advising to exit the first half back in July — to maintain downside coverage for any unsold bushels, we are targeting a 10-15% extension from our last sale to the 650–680 area in July ’25 to suggest making additional sales.
  • No action is currently recommended for 2026 Chicago Wheat. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted next year, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following Chicago wheat recommendations:

KC Wheat Action Plan Summary

Since mid-July, the wheat market has mostly drifted sideways as the trade tries to balance smaller US and global wheat supplies against cheaper world export prices. During this period, a potential seasonal low was also marked on the front month continuous charts as managed funds maintained a sizable net short position in the wheat markets. While low Black Sea export prices and slow world demand continue to weigh on US prices, the funds’ short position could trigger an extended short covering rally on any increase in US demand as world wheat ending stocks are expected to fall yet again this year.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 KC wheat. Considering the upside breakout in KC wheat back in May, we recommended buying upside July ’25 860 and 1020 calls (for their extended time frame) in case of a protracted rally. Our current strategy is to target 725 – 750 versus Dec ’24 to recommend further sales, while also targeting a selling price of about 71 cents on the 860 calls to achieve a net neutral cost on the remaining 1020 calls. The remaining 1020 calls would then continue to protect existing sales and give you confidence to make additional sales at higher prices.
  • No new action is currently recommended for 2025 KC Wheat. Earlier this summer we recommended exiting half of the previously recommended July ’25 620 puts once they reached 60 cents (double the original approximate cost) to realize gains in case the market rallies back, while still holding the remaining 620 puts at, or near, a net neutral cost for continued downside coverage on any unsold bushels. To that end, we are currently targeting the upper 400 range versus July ’25 to exit half of those remaining puts. Meanwhile, our current upside strategy is to target the 640 – 670 range, also in the July ’25, to recommend making additional sales.
  • No action is currently recommended for 2026 KC Wheat. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted next year, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following KC recommendations:

Mpls Wheat Action Plan Summary

Since printing a near-term low in mid-July, Minneapolis wheat has trended mostly sideways as the market attempts to balance smaller US and world supplies versus lower world export prices and lower world demand. During this period, managed funds have maintained their sizable, short positions in Minneapolis wheat. Though low Russian export prices continue to keep a lid on US prices, smaller crops in Europe and the Black Sea region could increase US demand, potentially triggering an extended short-covering rally, especially as global wheat ending stocks are projected to decline again this year.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 Minneapolis wheat. With the close below 712 support in June, Grain Market Insider implemented its Plan B stop strategy, recommending additional sales for the 2024 crop due to waning upside momentum and an increased likelihood of a downward trend. Given the heightened volatility and the amount of time that remains to market this crop, we will maintain the current July ’25 KC wheat 860 and 1020 call options. Our target is a selling price of about 71 cents for the 860 calls to achieve a net neutral cost on the remaining 1020 calls. These 1020 calls will continue to protect existing sales and provide confidence to make additional sales at higher prices. While we are at the time of year when market lows often occur, we will consider posting upside targets in late September or early October when market conditions often become more advantageous, and harvest is mostly behind us.
  • No new action is currently recommended for the 2025 Minneapolis wheat crop. Since the growing season can often yield some of the best sales opportunities, we made two separate sales recommendations in July to get some early sales on the books for next year’s crop. While we will not be targeting any specific areas to make additional sales until later in the marketing year, we will continue to monitor the market for opportunities to exit the remaining July ’25 KC 620 puts that were recommended in June. To that end, we are currently targeting the upper 400 range versus July ’25 KC to exit half of those remaining puts.
  • No Action is currently recommended for the 2026 Minneapolis wheat crop. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted 2 years from now, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following Minneapolis wheat recommendations:

Other Charts / Weather

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9-18 End of Day: Grains Close Mixed After Fed Drops Rates 50 Basis Points

All prices as of 2:00 pm Central Time

Grain Market Highlights

  • The corn market settled fractionally mixed and near unchanged as the market awaited the Fed’s decision on interest rates with little other news to move prices. Higher neighboring soybeans helped support, while mostly lower wheat added resistance.
  • Following a day of back and forth trade, November soybeans closed just below the 50-day moving average after trading above it for the first time since late May. Support came from higher soybean oil, while meal settled just below unchanged.
  • The wheat complex settled with minor losses in the Minneapolis and KC contracts, while Chicago finished mostly unchanged. With little news to drive the market, apart from anticipation of the Fed’s interest rate cut, large buyers and sellers remained largely inactive.
  • To see the updated US 5-day precipitation forecast, 6 – 10 day Temperature and Precipitation Outlooks, and 2-week Forecast Precipitation for South America, courtesy of NOAA, and the Weather Prediction Center, scroll down to the other Charts/Weather section.

Note – For the best viewing experience, some Grain Market Insider content is best viewed with your phone held horizontally.

Corn

Corn Action Plan Summary

Since printing a market low in late August the corn market has rallied largely on fund short covering as the rush of old crop bushels into the market has slowed and demand has picked up. While the upcoming harvest of an expectedly large crop may continue to limit upside potential, it is a good sign that corn buyers are finding value at these multi-year low price levels. Any unexpected downward shift in anticipated supply or increase in demand could trigger managed funds to cover more of their extensive short positions and rally prices further, however, an extended rally is unlikely until after harvest.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 corn. In June, we recommended purchasing Dec ’24 470 and 510 calls after Dec ’24 closed below 451, due to their relative value and the typically high market volatility during that time of year. Although we no longer have an upside objective for additional sales for now, we continue to target a value of 29 cents to exit the Dec ’24 470 calls. Exiting at this level will allow you to lock in gains that offset much of the original position’s cost, while holding the remaining 510 calls at or near a net-neutral cost. This strategy should continue to protect existing sales and provide confidence for further sales during an extended rally. Since harvest time is not an advantageous sales window, we will begin evaluating market conditions once it concludes and target areas for additional sales recommendations in late fall or early winter.
  • No new action is currently recommended for 2025 corn. Between early June and late July Grain Market Insider made three separate sales recommendations to get early sales made for next year’s crop. Considering the seasonal weakness of the market in late summer and early fall, we will not be looking to post any targeted areas for new sales until late fall or early winter. Although, we will look to protect current sales, in the form of buying call options, should the market begin to show signs of a potential extended rally.
  • No Action is currently recommended for 2026 corn. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted 2 years from now, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following corn recommendations:

  • Quiet and choppy trade continued in the corn market today as the market awaited the Fed Reserve decision on interest rates. The trading range was small again with December corn prices ranging 4 cents from high to low during the session.
  • The Federal Reserve cut the federal funds lending rate by 0.50%. Reduction of interest rates signals a looser monetary supply, which could trigger the weakening of the US Dollar. This interest rate move could also signal a more inflationary environment, which should help support some commodity markets.
  • Weekly Ethanol production dropped by 2.9% from last week to 1.049 million barrels per day. This number was up 7.0% from last year. Corn used last week for the ethanol grind totaled 105.84 mb.
  • USDA will release weekly export sales on Thursday morning. Expectations for corn sales to range from 550,000 – 1.4 mmt. Last week’s sales were disappointing at 666,458 mt as an increase in corn prices and freight costs due to low river levels may have limited corn export sales.
  • US weather is likely to remain drier than normal with above normal temperatures, which should help push the corn crop to maturity and speed up harvest. Harvest pressure going into October and November will likely limit upside potential in corn prices.

Soybeans

Soybeans Action Plan Summary

Since early September, the soybean market has traded mostly sideways after a late August rally, as weather conditions turned dry during the later development stages of the crop. While the USDA projects record soybean yields for this season, the warm and dry finish to the growing season may have reduced final yields from earlier projections. Although export sales have increased in recent weeks, the current sales pace remains the slowest since 2019, which may still weigh on prices. Any pickup in demand or a decrease in this year’s projected supply could rally prices, especially post-harvest.

  • No new action is recommended for the 2024 crop. At the end of December, we recommended buying Nov ’24 1280 and 1360 calls due to the uncertainty surrounding the 2024 soybean crop, aiming to give you the confidence to make sales and protect those sales during an extended rally. Since the market has retreated since that time, we continue to target the 1040–1070 range versus Nov ’24 futures to exit one-third of the 1280 calls in order to help preserve equity. Additionally, in June, the close below 1180 triggered our Plan B strategy, which recommended making additional sales due to the potential change in trend. While we typically avoid recommending sales at this time of year, our Plan A strategy is to make additional sales recommendations should the market rally significantly toward the 1090 – 1120 area in the Nov ’24 contract.
  • No Action is currently recommended for 2025 Soybeans. To date, Grain Market Insider has not recommended any sales for next year’s soybean crop yet. First sales targets will probably be set in late fall or early winter at the earliest. Currently, our focus is on watching for opportunities to recommend buying call options. Should Nov ‘25 reach the upper 1100 range, the likelihood of an extended rally would increase, and we would recommend buying upside call options at that time in preparation for that possibility.
  • No Action is currently recommended for 2026 Soybeans. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted 2 years from now, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following soybean recommendations:

  • Soybeans ended the day higher after going through a wide trading range throughout the day. Futures were as much as 14 cents higher overnight before fading and then rallying back in the last two hours of the session. The Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 50 basis points before the market closed, which was slightly unexpected and may have added support to soybeans on the close.
  • Soybean meal ended the day slightly lower, but soybean oil was consistently higher throughout the day despite a slight decline in crude oil. India, who is the number one importer of veg oils, raised its veg oil import tariffs by 20%, but consumption is still anticipated to grow 2% – 3% due to rising prosperity and a growing population. Palm and canola futures were also higher and lent support to bean oil.
  • In South America, conditions have been very dry especially in Brazil, and key growing areas such as Mato Grosso are forecast to have at least 10 more days without rain. Chances of rain improve for early October, but if the rain does not materialize, it could be friendly to soybean prices.
  • Although the US is planning to impose higher tariffs on Chinese products like electric vehicles and metals, China has remained a steady buyer of new crop soybeans, and there has been speculation that China may be looking to make more purchases with FOB prices in Brazil significantly higher than in the US.

Above: After entering the 1005 – 1040 resistance area, November soybeans posted a bearish key reversal which remains intact, suggesting prices could erode further. Below the market, support remains between 960 and 955, with key support near the August low of 940.

Wheat

Market Notes: Wheat

  • With the exception of a quarter-cent loss in the March contract, Chicago wheat closed unchanged across the board. Kansas City and Minneapolis futures did not fare quite as well, posting small losses. Throughout the session, wheat traded on both sides of neutral. With little fresh news and markets awaiting interest rate updates, the trade remained relatively quiet by the end of the session.
  • This afternoon, the Federal Reserve concluded its FOMC meeting with a decision to cut interest rates by 50 basis points, pushing the US Dollar Index to its lowest level since July 20, 2023. If the index’s downward trend continues, it could benefit US wheat exports, as a weaker dollar makes US products more affordable for importing countries.
  • A La Niña weather pattern appears to be developing this fall, though the Australian weather bureau predicts it will be weak and short-lived. Typically, La Niña brings more rain to Australia and less to the Americas. In contrast, a US government weather forecaster suggested a 71% chance of La Niña forming between September and November, potentially lasting until March.
  • Egypt’s supply minister reported that the country has sufficient wheat reserves to last at least six months, following recent purchases of 770,000 mt of wheat from Russia and Bulgaria. Egypt consumes around 18 mmt of wheat annually, with approximately 7.7 mmt used for subsidized bread production.

Chicago Wheat Action Plan Summary

Since mid-July, the wheat market has mostly drifted sideways as the trade tries to balance smaller US and global supplies against cheaper world export prices. During this period, a potential seasonal low was also marked on July 29th as managed funds maintained a sizable net short position in Chicago wheat. While slow global import demand and low Russian export prices continue to be a limiting factor in the market, any increase in US demand due to smaller crops in Europe and the Black Sea region could trigger an extended short-covering rally by managed funds.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 Chicago wheat. Considering the rally in wheat back in May, we recommended taking advantage of the elevated prices to make additional sales and buy upside July ’25 860 and 1020 calls (for their extended time frame) in case of a protracted rally. Our current strategy is to target 740 – 760 versus Dec ’24 to recommend further sales, while also targeting a selling price of about 73 cents in the 860 calls to achieve a net neutral cost on the remaining 1020 calls. The remaining 1020 calls would then continue to protect existing sales and give you confidence to make additional sales at higher prices.
  • No new action is recommended for 2025 Chicago wheat. Recently, we recommended taking advantage of the wheat rally to sell more of your anticipated 2025 SRW production. While we continue to recommend holding the remaining July ’25 620 puts — after advising to exit the first half back in July — to maintain downside coverage for any unsold bushels, we are targeting a 10-15% extension from our last sale to the 650–680 area in July ’25 to suggest making additional sales.
  • No action is currently recommended for 2026 Chicago Wheat. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted next year, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following Chicago wheat recommendations:

KC Wheat Action Plan Summary

Since mid-July, the wheat market has mostly drifted sideways as the trade tries to balance smaller US and global wheat supplies against cheaper world export prices. During this period, a potential seasonal low was also marked on the front month continuous charts as managed funds maintained a sizable net short position in the wheat markets. While low Black Sea export prices and slow world demand continue to weigh on US prices, the funds’ short position could trigger an extended short covering rally on any increase in US demand as world wheat ending stocks are expected to fall yet again this year.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 KC wheat. Considering the upside breakout in KC wheat back in May, we recommended buying upside July ’25 860 and 1020 calls (for their extended time frame) in case of a protracted rally. Our current strategy is to target 725 – 750 versus Dec ’24 to recommend further sales, while also targeting a selling price of about 71 cents on the 860 calls to achieve a net neutral cost on the remaining 1020 calls. The remaining 1020 calls would then continue to protect existing sales and give you confidence to make additional sales at higher prices.
  • No new action is currently recommended for 2025 KC Wheat. Earlier this summer we recommended exiting half of the previously recommended July ’25 620 puts once they reached 60 cents (double the original approximate cost) to realize gains in case the market rallies back, while still holding the remaining 620 puts at, or near, a net neutral cost for continued downside coverage on any unsold bushels. To that end, we are currently targeting the upper 400 range versus July ’25 to exit half of those remaining puts. Meanwhile, our current upside strategy is to target the 640 – 670 range, also in the July ’25, to recommend making additional sales.
  • No action is currently recommended for 2026 KC Wheat. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted next year, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following KC recommendations:

Mpls Wheat Action Plan Summary

Since printing a near-term low in mid-July, Minneapolis wheat has trended mostly sideways as the market attempts to balance smaller US and world supplies versus lower world export prices and lower world demand. During this period, managed funds have maintained their sizable, short positions in Minneapolis wheat. Though low Russian export prices continue to keep a lid on US prices, smaller crops in Europe and the Black Sea region could increase US demand, potentially triggering an extended short-covering rally, especially as global wheat ending stocks are projected to decline again this year.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 Minneapolis wheat. With the close below 712 support in June, Grain Market Insider implemented its Plan B stop strategy, recommending additional sales for the 2024 crop due to waning upside momentum and an increased likelihood of a downward trend. Given the heightened volatility and the amount of time that remains to market this crop, we will maintain the current July ’25 KC wheat 860 and 1020 call options. Our target is a selling price of about 71 cents for the 860 calls to achieve a net neutral cost on the remaining 1020 calls. These 1020 calls will continue to protect existing sales and provide confidence to make additional sales at higher prices. While we are at the time of year when market lows often occur, we will consider posting upside targets in late September or early October when market conditions often become more advantageous, and harvest is mostly behind us.
  • No new action is currently recommended for the 2025 Minneapolis wheat crop. Since the growing season can often yield some of the best sales opportunities, we made two separate sales recommendations in July to get some early sales on the books for next year’s crop. While we will not be targeting any specific areas to make additional sales until later in the marketing year, we will continue to monitor the market for opportunities to exit the remaining July ’25 KC 620 puts that were recommended in June. To that end, we are currently targeting the upper 400 range versus July ’25 KC to exit half of those remaining puts.
  • No Action is currently recommended for the 2026 Minneapolis wheat crop. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted 2 years from now, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following Minneapolis wheat recommendations:

Other Charts / Weather

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9-17 End of Day: Grains Settle Near Unchanged with Little Fresh News to Move Prices

All prices as of 2:00 pm Central Time

Grain Market Highlights

  • Following a quiet news day, the corn market settled with small gains, near the top of its narrow range after quietly trading on both sides of unchanged.  
  • The soybean complex settled mixed, with beans closing on the plus side of unchanged after a day of choppy, two-sided trade. Support came from significantly higher soybean oil, while meal closed lower. The bean oil market traded higher as it continued to absorb bullish stocks data from yesterday’s NOPA crush numbers.
  • The wheat complex also closed mixed as all three wheat classes largely consolidated and closed the day within a few pennies of unchanged with little fresh news to push prices significantly.
  • To see the updated US 5-day precipitation forecast, 6 – 10 day Temperature and Precipitation Outlooks, and 2-week Forecast Precipitation for South America, courtesy of NOAA, and the Weather Prediction Center, scroll down to the other Charts/Weather section.

Note – For the best viewing experience, some Grain Market Insider content is best viewed with your phone held horizontally.

Corn

Corn Action Plan Summary

Since printing a market low in late August the corn market has rallied largely on fund short covering as the rush of old crop bushels into the market has slowed and demand has picked up. While the upcoming harvest of an expectedly large crop may continue to limit upside potential, it is a good sign that corn buyers are finding value at these multi-year low price levels. Any unexpected downward shift in anticipated supply or increase in demand could trigger managed funds to cover more of their extensive short positions and rally prices further, however, an extended rally is unlikely until after harvest.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 corn. In June we recommended buying Dec ’24 470 and 510 calls after Dec ’24 closed below 451, for their relative value and because we are at that time of year of high volatility when markets can move swiftly. Moving forward, our current strategy is to target the value of 29 cents to exit the Dec ’24 470 calls. Exiting the 470 calls at 29 cents will allow you to lock in gains in case prices fall back and hold the remaining 510 calls at or near a net neutral cost, which should continue to protect existing sales and give you confidence to make further sales if the market rallies sharply. Additionally, should a contra-seasonal rally occur considering the large net short managed fund position, we continue to target the 470 – 490 area to recommend making additional sales versus Dec ’24.
  • No new action is currently recommended for 2025 corn. Between early June and late July Grain Market Insider made three separate sales recommendations to get early sales made for next year’s crop. Considering the seasonal weakness of the market in late summer and early fall, we will not be looking to post any targeted areas for new sales until late fall or early winter. Although, we will look to protect current sales, in the form of buying call options, should the market begin to show signs of a potential extended rally.
  • No Action is currently recommended for 2026 corn. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted 2 years from now, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following corn recommendations:

  • The corn market remained quiet on Tuesday, trading within a narrow 4 ½ cent range. After a day of two-sided activity, the session ended with slight gains. With little news driving movement, the market appeared to be taking a breather ahead of the Federal Reserve meeting and potential interest rate cuts expected on Wednesday afternoon.
  • Harvest activity continues to pick up, which is limiting price gains. As of September 15, 9% of the corn crop had been harvested, ahead of the 5-year average, according to the USDA’s crop progress report on Monday afternoon. The crop condition was rated 64% good to excellent, surpassing expectations. While corn condition is less of a market factor as the crop nears maturity, it remains in historically strong shape for September.
  • Brazil’s Ag Ministry, CONAB released its projections for the 24/25 corn marketing year. Brazil is expected to produce 119.78 mmt of corn in the next crop year. This is up 4.1 mmt or 3.6% over last year.
  • US weather is likely to remain drier than normal with above normal temperatures, which should help push the corn crop to maturity and speed up harvest. Harvest pressure going into October and November will likely limit upside potential in corn prices.

Soybeans

Soybeans Action Plan Summary

Since early September, the soybean market has traded mostly sideways after a late August rally, as weather conditions turned dry during the later development stages of the crop. While the USDA projects record soybean yields for this season, the warm and dry finish to the growing season may have reduced final yields from earlier projections. Although export sales have increased in recent weeks, the current sales pace remains the slowest since 2019, which may still weigh on prices. Any pickup in demand or a decrease in this year’s projected supply could rally prices, especially post-harvest.

  • No new action is recommended for the 2024 crop. At the end of December, we recommended buying Nov ’24 1280 and 1360 calls due to the uncertainty surrounding the 2024 soybean crop, aiming to give you the confidence to make sales and protect those sales during an extended rally. Since the market has retreated since that time, we continue to target the 1040–1070 range versus Nov ’24 futures to exit one-third of the 1280 calls in order to help preserve equity. Additionally, in June, the close below 1180 triggered our Plan B strategy, which recommended making additional sales due to the potential change in trend. While we typically avoid recommending sales at this time of year, our Plan A strategy is to make additional sales recommendations should the market rally significantly toward the 1090 – 1120 area in the Nov ’24 contract.
  • No Action is currently recommended for 2025 Soybeans. To date, Grain Market Insider has not recommended any sales for next year’s soybean crop yet. First sales targets will probably be set in late fall or early winter at the earliest. Currently, our focus is on watching for opportunities to recommend buying call options. Should Nov ‘25 reach the upper 1100 range, the likelihood of an extended rally would increase, and we would recommend buying upside call options at that time in preparation for that possibility.
  • No Action is currently recommended for 2026 Soybeans. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted 2 years from now, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following soybean recommendations:

  • Soybeans managed to end the day slightly higher after trading on both sides of unchanged throughout the day. Crop conditions fell slightly from last week but were in the range of analysts’ expectations. Although the USDA did not lower soybean yields in its most recent report, it is likely that the recent stretch of dry weather has reduced yield potential slightly. Soybean meal ended the day lower while soybean oil was higher.
  • Yesterday’s Crop Progress report showed the good to excellent rating for soybeans slipping by one point to 64% as trade expected, but it still well above last year’s 52%. 44% of the crop is dropping leaves, which compares to 25% a week ago and 6% of the crop is harvested. Illinois and Iowa had the highest crop ratings at 72% and 77% respectively.
  • This morning, CONAB released its new estimates for the 24/25 soybean crop and raised the number to a record large 166.3 mmt which would compare to 147.38 mmt the previous year. However, conditions have been dry, and late planting could impact yields if rains do not fall in the beginning of October like they have been forecast to do.
  • Yesterday’s NOPA crush report was bearish and showed August crush totals falling to a nearly 3-year low of 158.008 million bushels, while soybean oil stocks fell to a 10-month low of 1.138 billion pounds. Both soybean crush and stocks were well below the average trade estimates.

Above: After entering the 1005 – 1040 resistance area, November soybeans posted a bearish key reversal which remains intact, suggesting prices could erode further. Below the market, support remains between 960 and 955, with key support near the August low of 940.

Wheat

Market Notes: Wheat

  • Wheat ended the session with a mixed close. Chicago futures posted small losses, Minneapolis small gains, and Kansas City was on both sides of unchanged. Early strength faded as the US Dollar Index shifted from lower to higher, perhaps in anticipation of tomorrow’s conclusion to the FOMC meeting. The Fed is expected to cut interest rates, but many are questioning whether it will be a 25 or 50 basis point reduction.
  • According to the USDA, as of September 15, 92% of the US spring wheat crop has been harvested. This is just above the average of 90% and last year’s 91% pace. Additionally, they reported that the US winter wheat crop is now 14% planted, which is 1% above both last year’s pace and the 5-year average.
  • Most of the Midwest remains warm and dry. However, later this week and into next week, rains are expected to move into the Corn Belt and central Plains, with totals ranging from 1.5 to 3 inches. This rainfall may help recharge soil moisture and improve conditions for the establishment of the winter wheat crop.
  • The French agriculture minister has reduced the soft wheat production estimate by 0.5 mmt to 25.85 mmt, which is approximately 27% lower than last year’s total. The decline is attributed to unfavorable weather, which led to reduced yields and a smaller planted area. Meanwhile, SovEcon increased its estimate for Russian wheat production by 0.4 mmt to 82.9 mmt, which aligns closely with the USDA’s figure of 83 mmt.

Chicago Wheat Action Plan Summary

Since mid-July, the wheat market has mostly drifted sideways as the trade tries to balance smaller US and global supplies against cheaper world export prices. During this period, a potential seasonal low was also marked on July 29th as managed funds maintained a sizable net short position in Chicago wheat. While slow global import demand and low Russian export prices continue to be a limiting factor in the market, any increase in US demand due to smaller crops in Europe and the Black Sea region could trigger an extended short-covering rally by managed funds.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 Chicago wheat. Considering the rally in wheat back in May, we recommended taking advantage of the elevated prices to make additional sales and buy upside July ’25 860 and 1020 calls (for their extended time frame) in case of a protracted rally. Our current strategy is to target 740 – 760 versus Dec ’24 to recommend further sales, while also targeting a selling price of about 73 cents in the 860 calls to achieve a net neutral cost on the remaining 1020 calls. The remaining 1020 calls would then continue to protect existing sales and give you confidence to make additional sales at higher prices.
  • No new action is recommended for 2025 Chicago wheat. Recently, we recommended taking advantage of the wheat rally to sell more of your anticipated 2025 SRW production. While we continue to recommend holding the remaining July ’25 620 puts — after advising to exit the first half back in July — to maintain downside coverage for any unsold bushels, we are targeting a 10-15% extension from our last sale to the 650–680 area in July ’25 to suggest making additional sales.
  • No action is currently recommended for 2026 Chicago Wheat. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted next year, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following Chicago wheat recommendations:

KC Wheat Action Plan Summary

Since mid-July, the wheat market has mostly drifted sideways as the trade tries to balance smaller US and global wheat supplies against cheaper world export prices. During this period, a potential seasonal low was also marked on the front month continuous charts as managed funds maintained a sizable net short position in the wheat markets. While low Black Sea export prices and slow world demand continue to weigh on US prices, the funds’ short position could trigger an extended short covering rally on any increase in US demand as world wheat ending stocks are expected to fall yet again this year.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 KC wheat. Considering the upside breakout in KC wheat back in May, we recommended buying upside July ’25 860 and 1020 calls (for their extended time frame) in case of a protracted rally. Our current strategy is to target 725 – 750 versus Dec ’24 to recommend further sales, while also targeting a selling price of about 71 cents on the 860 calls to achieve a net neutral cost on the remaining 1020 calls. The remaining 1020 calls would then continue to protect existing sales and give you confidence to make additional sales at higher prices.
  • No new action is currently recommended for 2025 KC Wheat. Earlier this summer we recommended exiting half of the previously recommended July ’25 620 puts once they reached 60 cents (double the original approximate cost) to realize gains in case the market rallies back, while still holding the remaining 620 puts at, or near, a net neutral cost for continued downside coverage on any unsold bushels. To that end, should the market continue to be weak, we are currently targeting the upper 400 range versus July ’25 to exit half of those remaining puts. Looking ahead, our current upside strategy is to target the 640 – 670 range, also in the July ’25, to recommend making additional sales.
  • No action is currently recommended for 2026 KC Wheat. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted next year, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following KC recommendations:

Mpls Wheat Action Plan Summary

Since printing a near-term low in mid-July, Minneapolis wheat has trended mostly sideways as the market attempts to balance smaller US and world supplies versus lower world export prices and lower world demand. During this period, managed funds have maintained their sizable, short positions in Minneapolis wheat. Though low Russian export prices continue to keep a lid on US prices, smaller crops in Europe and the Black Sea region could increase US demand, potentially triggering an extended short-covering rally, especially as global wheat ending stocks are projected to decline again this year.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 Minneapolis wheat. With the close below 712 support in June, Grain Market Insider implemented its Plan B stop strategy, recommending additional sales for the 2024 crop due to waning upside momentum and an increased likelihood of a downward trend. Given the heightened volatility and the amount of time that remains to market this crop, we will maintain the current July ’25 KC wheat 860 and 1020 call options. Our target is a selling price of about 71 cents for the 860 calls to achieve a net neutral cost on the remaining 1020 calls. These 1020 calls will continue to protect existing sales and provide confidence to make additional sales at higher prices. While we are at the time of year when market lows often occur, we will consider posting upside targets in late September or early October when market conditions often become more advantageous, and harvest is mostly behind us.
  • No new action is currently recommended for the 2025 Minneapolis wheat crop. Since the growing season can often yield some of the best sales opportunities, we recently made two separate sales recommendations to get some early sales on the books for next year’s crop. While we will not be targeting any specific areas to make additional sales until later in the marketing year, we will continue to monitor the market for opportunities to exit the remaining July ’25 KC 620 puts that were recommended in June. To that end, should the market continue to be weak, we are currently targeting the upper 400 range to exit half of those remaining puts.
  • No Action is currently recommended for the 2026 Minneapolis wheat crop. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted 2 years from now, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following Minneapolis wheat recommendations:

Other Charts / Weather

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9-16 End of Day: Wheat Gives Up Friday’s Gains; Corn and Beans Consolidate

All prices as of 2:00 pm Central Time

Grain Market Highlights

  • Pressure from declining wheat futures and the beginning stages of harvest, driven by warm and dry conditions, limited the corn market’s rally potential. Corn experienced choppy, two-sided trade before closing mid-range and slightly lower on the day.
  • Caught between the bullish influence of another flash sale to unknown destinations, uneventful export inspections, and the lowest NOPA crush data since September 2021, the soybean market traded on both sides of unchanged before settling mid-range with only minor losses. Soybean meal and oil both finished higher on the day.
  • Sellers regained control as overhead resistance held, with the potential easing of Black Sea tensions, triggering stop orders and profit-taking, which contributed to the losses across the wheat complex and erased Friday’s gains.
  • To see the updated US 5-day precipitation forecast, Seasonal Temperature and Precipitation Outlooks, and 1-week Forecast Precipitation for South America, courtesy of NOAA, and the Weather Prediction Center, scroll down to the other Charts/Weather section.

Note – For the best viewing experience, some Grain Market Insider content is best viewed with your phone held horizontally.

Corn

Corn Action Plan Summary

Since printing a market low in late August the corn market has rallied largely on fund short covering as the rush of old crop bushels into the market has slowed and demand has picked up. While the upcoming harvest of an expectedly large crop may continue to limit upside potential, it is a good sign that corn buyers are finding value at these multi-year low price levels. Any unexpected downward shift in anticipated supply or increase in demand could trigger managed funds to cover more of their extensive short positions and rally prices further, however, an extended rally is unlikely until after harvest.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 corn. In June we recommended buying Dec ’24 470 and 510 calls after Dec ’24 closed below 451, for their relative value and because we are at that time of year of high volatility when markets can move swiftly. Moving forward, our current strategy is to target the value of 29 cents to exit the Dec ’24 470 calls. Exiting the 470 calls at 29 cents will allow you to lock in gains in case prices fall back and hold the remaining 510 calls at or near a net neutral cost, which should continue to protect existing sales and give you confidence to make further sales if the market rallies sharply. Additionally, should a contra-seasonal rally occur considering the large net short managed fund position, we continue to target the 470 – 490 area to recommend making additional sales versus Dec ’24.
  • No new action is currently recommended for 2025 corn. Between early June and late July Grain Market Insider made three separate sales recommendations to get early sales made for next year’s crop. Considering the seasonal weakness of the market in late summer and early fall, we will not be looking to post any targeted areas for new sales until late fall or early winter. Although, we will look to protect current sales, in the form of buying call options, should the market begin to show signs of a potential extended rally.
  • No Action is currently recommended for 2026 corn. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted 2 years from now, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following corn recommendations:

  • Corn futures started the week with slight selling pressure as harvest begins to ramp up and strong selling in the wheat market limited gains.
  • The USDA will release the latest crop progress report on Monday afternoon. Last week 5% of the corn crop was harvested, and that number is expected to grow as warm and drier weather will likely push the corn crop to the finish line this fall. The increased supplies in the pipeline will likely limit the near-term upside in the corn market.
  • Corn inspected for export last week came in at 20.5 mb (555,000 mt) in today’s weekly export inspections report. Though it is early in the marketing year, export inspections are nearly 40 mb or 24% behind last year’s. Typically, corn inspections soften during this window as the exporters rotate to shipping soybeans. The lower inspections number may also be reflecting the low water conditions on the Mississippi River and restrictive grain flows from upstream.
  • Managed Funds continue to reduce their once record large short positions in the corn market. In last week’s Commitment of Traders report managed funds were still net short 132,000 corn contracts, but over the past 3 weeks have exited 125,000 short corn futures.

Soybeans

Soybeans Action Plan Summary

Since late May, the soybean market has steadily declined due to sluggish demand for the new crop, favorable growing conditions, and expectations of a large upcoming harvest. Weather forecasts have also generally remained supportive of the crop, while the market has factored in the likelihood of higher yields. With the weather turning drier as the crop enters its final development, the funds have covered some of their extensive short positions and rallied prices. While the market still anticipates a large crop at harvest, which could ultimately weigh on prices, should yields be less than expected, the recent pick up in demand could spur more short covering by the funds.

  • No new action is recommended for the 2024 crop. At the end of December, we recommended buying Nov ’24 1280 and 1360 calls due to the amount of uncertainty in the 2024 soybean crop and to give you confidence to make sales and protect those sales in an extended rally. Given that the market has retreated since that time, we are targeting the 1040 – 1070 range versus Nov ’24 futures to exit 1/3 of the 1280 calls to help preserve equity. Additionally in June, the close below 1180 triggered our Plan B strategy, which recommended making additional sales due to the potential change in trend. Should a bullish catalyst enter the market to turn prices higher, we are targeting the 1090 – 1120 range from our Plan A strategy to make additional sales recommendations.
  • No Action is currently recommended for 2025 Soybeans. To date, Grain Market Insider has not recommended any sales for next year’s soybean crop yet. First sales targets will probably be set in late fall or early winter at the earliest. Currently, our focus is on watching for opportunities to recommend buying call options. Should Nov ‘25 reach the upper 1100 range, the likelihood of an extended rally would increase, and we would recommend buying upside call options at that time in preparation for that possibility.
  • No Action is currently recommended for 2026 Soybeans. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted 2 years from now, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following soybean recommendations:

  • Soybeans ended the day slightly lower as pressure was found throughout the grain complex from sharply lower wheat futures. A flash sale reported this morning lent support earlier in the day, but soybeans were unable to hold that momentum. NOPA crush numbers were disappointing today as well. Both soybean meal and oil were higher to end the day despite losses in soybeans.
  • This morning, the USDA reported private export sales totaling 132,000 metric tons of soybeans for delivery to unknown destinations during the 24/25 marketing year. This sale had previously been reported to China but was changed. Regardless, China has been a consistent buyer of new crop US soybeans which has contributed to demand.
  • The NOPA crush report that was released today showed August crush totals falling to nearly a 3-year low of 158.008 million bushels, while soybean oil stocks fell to a 10-month low of 1.138 billion pounds. Both soybean crush and stocks were well below the average trade estimates.
  • Today’s soybean export inspections totaled 14.7 million bushels for the week ending Thursday, September 12. This was above last week’s 13.4 mb and was towards the lower range of trade estimates. Inspections for 23/24 are now down 16% from the previous year.
  • Friday’s CFTC report showed funds buying back a portion of their short position. They covered 23,495 contracts, which left them net short 130,601 contracts as of September 10.

Above: After entering the 1005 – 1040 resistance area, November soybeans posted a bearish key reversal which remains intact, suggesting prices could erode further. Below the market, support remains between 960 and 955, with key support near the August low of 940.

Wheat

Market Notes: Wheat

  • Wheat suffered double-digit losses across all three futures classes. A combination of profit-taking and stop orders being triggered after hitting key resistance was likely the culprit. Additionally, concerns may have eased somewhat regarding tensions between Ukraine and Russia, which might have put pressure on Paris milling wheat futures. These futures closed lower across the board, offering no support to the US market.
  • Weekly wheat export inspections of 20.5 mb bring total 24/25 inspections to 255 mb, up 34% from last year. Inspections are also running ahead of the USDA’s estimated pace. Their export estimate remained unchanged in last week’s WASDE report at 825 mb, which is still up 17% from the previous year.
  • According to Friday’s CFTC data, funds bought back 13,000 contracts of Chicago wheat. Their net short position across all three classes now totals 70,000 contracts, marking their smallest net short position in three months.
  • Russia shipped 990,000 mt of grain last week, according to SovEcon, down from the previous week. Wheat accounted for 980,000 mt of that total. Additionally, IKAR reported that Russian wheat export values closed at $216 per mt, which is $1 higher than the previous week.
  • Argentina remains too dry, causing its wheat crop to struggle. Dry conditions over the weekend also continued to delay corn planting. A storm system is expected to move through later this week, but most of the rainfall is forecast for eastern areas, where soil moisture is already in better shape than in the west.

Chicago Wheat Action Plan Summary

Since mid-July, the wheat market has mostly drifted sideways as the trade tries to balance smaller US and global supplies against cheaper world export prices. During this period, a potential seasonal low was also marked on July 29th as managed funds maintained a sizable net short position in Chicago wheat. While slow global import demand and low Russian export prices continue to be a limiting factor in the market, any increase in US demand due to smaller crops in Europe and the Black Sea region could trigger an extended short-covering rally by managed funds.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 Chicago wheat. Considering the rally in wheat back in May, we recommended taking advantage of the elevated prices to make additional sales and buy upside July ’25 860 and 1020 calls (for their extended time frame) in case of a protracted rally. Our current strategy is to target 740 – 760 versus Sept ’24 to recommend further sales, while also targeting a selling price of about 73 cents in the 860 calls to achieve a net neutral cost on the remaining 1020 calls. The remaining 1020 calls would then continue to protect existing sales and give you confidence to make additional sales at higher prices.
  • No new action is recommended for 2025 Chicago wheat. Recently, we recommended taking advantage of the wheat rally to sell more of your anticipated 2025 SRW production. While we continue to recommend holding the remaining July ’25 620 puts—after advising to exit the first half back in July—to maintain downside coverage for any unsold bushels, we are targeting a 10-15% extension from our last sale to the 650–680 area in July ’25 to suggest making additional sales.
  • No action is currently recommended for 2026 Chicago Wheat. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted next year, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following Chicago wheat recommendations:

KC Wheat Action Plan Summary

Since mid-July, the wheat market has mostly drifted sideways as the trade tries to balance smaller US and global wheat supplies against cheaper world export prices. During this period, a potential seasonal low was also marked on the front month continuous charts as managed funds maintained a sizable net short position in the wheat markets. While low Black Sea export prices and slow world demand continue to weigh on US prices, the funds’ short position could trigger an extended short covering rally on any increase in US demand as world wheat ending stocks are expected to fall yet again this year.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 KC wheat. Considering the upside breakout in KC wheat back in May, we recommended buying upside July ’25 860 and 1020 calls (for their extended time frame) in case of a protracted rally. Our current strategy is to target 725 – 750 versus Sept ’24 to recommend further sales, while also targeting a selling price of about 71 cents on the 860 calls to achieve a net neutral cost on the remaining 1020 calls. The remaining 1020 calls would then continue to protect existing sales and give you confidence to make additional sales at higher prices.
  • No new action is currently recommended for 2025 KC Wheat. Earlier this summer we recommended exiting half of the previously recommended July ’25 620 puts once they reached 60 cents (double the original approximate cost) to realize gains in case the market rallies back, while still holding the remaining 620 puts at, or near, a net neutral cost for continued downside coverage on any unsold bushels. To that end, should the market continue to be weak, we are currently targeting the upper 400 range versus July ’25 to exit half of those remaining puts. Looking ahead, our current upside strategy is to target the 640 – 670 range, also in the July ’25, to recommend making additional sales.
  • No action is currently recommended for 2026 KC Wheat. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted next year, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following KC recommendations:

Mpls Wheat Action Plan Summary

Since printing a near-term low in mid-July, Minneapolis wheat has trended mostly sideways as the market attempts to balance smaller US and world supplies versus lower world export prices and lower world demand. During this period, managed funds have maintained their sizable, short positions in Minneapolis wheat. Though low Russian export prices continue to keep a lid on US prices, smaller crops in Europe and the Black Sea region could increase US demand, potentially triggering an extended short-covering rally, especially as global wheat ending stocks are projected to decline again this year.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 Minneapolis wheat. With the close below 712 support in June, Grain Market Insider implemented its Plan B stop strategy, recommending additional sales for the 2024 crop due to waning upside momentum and an increased likelihood of a downward trend. Given the heightened volatility and the amount of time that remains to market this crop, we will maintain the current July ’25 KC wheat 860 and 1020 call options. Our target is a selling price of about 71 cents for the 860 calls to achieve a net neutral cost on the remaining 1020 calls. These 1020 calls will continue to protect existing sales and provide confidence to make additional sales at higher prices. While we are at the time of year when market lows often occur, we will consider posting upside targets in late September or early October when market conditions often become more advantageous, and harvest is mostly behind us.
  • No new action is currently recommended for the 2025 Minneapolis wheat crop. Since the growing season can often yield some of the best sales opportunities, we recently made two separate sales recommendations to get some early sales on the books for next year’s crop. While we will not be targeting any specific areas to make additional sales until later in the marketing year, we will continue to monitor the market for opportunities to exit the remaining July ’25 KC 620 puts that were recommended in June. To that end, should the market continue to be weak, we are currently targeting the upper 400 range to exit half of those remaining puts.
  • No Action is currently recommended for the 2026 Minneapolis wheat crop. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted 2 years from now, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following Minneapolis wheat recommendations:

Other Charts / Weather

US 5-day precipitation forecast courtesy of NOAA, Weather Prediction Center.

Above: Brazil, N. Argentina 1-week forecast precipitation, percent of normal, courtesy of the National Weather Service, Climate Prediction Center.

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9-13 End of Day: Corn and Wheat Follow Through to the Upside; Beans Slide

All prices as of 2:00 pm Central Time

Grain Market Highlights

  • Strong gains in the neighboring wheat market and a trend of falling ending stocks helped the corn market close higher on the day and post its third consecutive weekly close higher.
  • After failing to punch through the 50-day moving average, November soybeans came under pressure from technical selling and carryover weakness from sharply lower soybean oil prices. Soybean meal also closed lower on the day.
  • The wheat complex settled with double-digit gains across all three classes, with the Chicago contracts leading the way. Short covering was likely spurred by increased tensions in the Black Sea, with additional support coming from, higher Matif wheat futures, a weaker US dollar, and the possibility that India may still import wheat.
  • To see the updated US 5-day precipitation forecast, 6 – 10-day Temperature and Precipitation Outlooks, and 1-week Forecast Precipitation for South America, courtesy of NOAA,  and the Weather Prediction Center, scroll down to the other Charts/Weather section.

Note – For the best viewing experience, some Grain Market Insider content is best viewed with your phone held horizontally.

Corn

Corn Action Plan Summary

Since printing a market low in late August the corn market has rallied largely on fund short covering as the rush of old crop bushels into the market has slowed and demand has picked up. While the upcoming harvest of an expectedly large crop may continue to limit upside potential, it is a good sign that corn buyers are finding value at these multi-year low price levels. Any unexpected downward shift in anticipated supply or increase in demand could trigger managed funds to cover more of their extensive short positions and rally prices further, however, an extended rally is unlikely until after harvest.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 corn. In June we recommended buying Dec ’24 470 and 510 calls after Dec ’24 closed below 451, for their relative value and because we are at that time of year of high volatility when markets can move swiftly. Moving forward, our current strategy is to target the value of 29 cents to exit the Dec ’24 470 calls. Exiting the 470 calls at 29 cents will allow you to lock in gains in case prices fall back and hold the remaining 510 calls at or near a net neutral cost, which should continue to protect existing sales and give you confidence to make further sales if the market rallies sharply. Additionally, should a contra-seasonal rally occur considering the large net short managed fund position, we continue to target the 470 – 490 area to recommend making additional sales versus Dec ’24.
  • No new action is currently recommended for 2025 corn. Between early June and late July Grain Market Insider made three separate sales recommendations to get early sales made for next year’s crop. Considering the seasonal weakness of the market in late summer and early fall, we will not be looking to post any targeted areas for new sales until late fall or early winter. Although, we will look to protect current sales, in the form of buying call options, should the market begin to show signs of a potential extended rally.
  • No Action is currently recommended for 2026 corn. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted 2 years from now, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following corn recommendations:

  • Corn futures rode the coattails of a strong wheat market and a trend of lower ending stocks in the past three WASDE reports, finishing the session with gains. With this strong close, December corn futures ended the week 7 cents higher, marking the market’s third consecutive weekly gain.
  • Concerns about weather conditions in Europe and the Black Sea regions, along with the potential geopolitical impact of the Russia-Ukraine War, helped trigger a short-covering rally in the wheat market. The spillover strength also supported corn futures.
  • In the last three USDA Crop Production reports, new crop (24/25 marketing year) ending stocks projections have slightly decreased, from 2.102 bb in July to 2.057 bb in the September report. This decline in carryout has occurred despite higher supply and production forecasts, as late-season 23/24 demand has offset gains in US production.
  • Weekly export sales for corn were disappointing at 667,000 mt, down nearly 1.2 mmt from the previous week. Such a slowdown in export sales may have been attributed to rising corn prices because of price movement and increased freight costs as Gulf export prices have been increasing with the restricted Mississippi River water levels.
  • As harvest nears, rallies may be limited by an increase in producer selling of freshly harvested bushels or Brazilian producers moving stored supplies. It is estimated the Brazilian producers have only sold 53% of their old crop corn, which is behind pace compared to the past couple of marketing years for this time window.

Soybeans

Soybeans Action Plan Summary

Since late May, the soybean market has steadily declined due to sluggish demand for the new crop, favorable growing conditions, and expectations of a large upcoming harvest. Weather forecasts have also generally remained supportive of the crop, while the market has factored in the likelihood of higher yields. With the weather turning drier as the crop enters its final development, the funds have covered some of their extensive short positions and rallied prices. While the market still anticipates a large crop at harvest, which could ultimately weigh on prices, should yields be less than expected, the recent pick up in demand could spur more short covering by the funds.

  • No new action is recommended for the 2024 crop. At the end of December, we recommended buying Nov ’24 1280 and 1360 calls due to the amount of uncertainty in the 2024 soybean crop and to give you confidence to make sales and protect those sales in an extended rally. Given that the market has retreated since that time, we are targeting the 1040 – 1070 range versus Nov ’24 futures to exit 1/3 of the 1280 calls to help preserve equity. Additionally in June, the close below 1180 triggered our Plan B strategy, which recommended making additional sales due to the potential change in trend. Should a bullish catalyst enter the market to turn prices higher, we are targeting the 1090 – 1120 range from our Plan A strategy to make additional sales recommendations.
  • No Action is currently recommended for 2025 Soybeans. To date, Grain Market Insider has not recommended any sales for next year’s soybean crop yet. First sales targets will probably be set in late fall or early winter at the earliest. Currently, our focus is on watching for opportunities to recommend buying call options. Should Nov ‘25 reach the upper 1100 range, the likelihood of an extended rally would increase, and we would recommend buying upside call options at that time in preparation for that possibility.
  • No Action is currently recommended for 2026 Soybeans. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted 2 years from now, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following soybean recommendations:

  • Soybeans closed lower after a mixed session, with the November contract testing the 50-day moving average but failing to break through for the second time since last week. Notably, on September 6, when November soybeans last failed at the 50-day mark, prices dropped 36 cents over four days. Both soybean meal and oil also ended the session lower.
  • For the week, November soybeans gained 1 ¼ cents to 1006 ¼ while March soybean gained 2 ½ cents to 1039. December soybean meal lost $1.50 to $322.90 and December soybean oil lost 0.70 cents to 38.93 cents. Funds likely bought back a good portion of their short position this week despite prices moving just slightly higher.
  • This morning, the USDA reported private export sales of 100,000 metric tons of soybeans for delivery to China during the 24/25 marketing year. China has made multiple new crop soybean purchases this week totaling 232,000 mt and has been an active buyer in general recently.
  • Argentina is poised for its largest soybean acreage expansion in 15 years, with planted acres expected to rise by 7.5% compared to last year. According to the Rosario Board of Trade, the total planted area is projected to reach 17.7 million hectares (43.7 million acres).
  • Brazil has had months of dry weather and much of the upcoming price action will rely on the weather in the country going forward. They are forecast to receive showers in the South, but central Brazil is still forecast to remain dry for another 10 days. With appropriate rains, Brazil would likely produce a new record crop in 2025.

Above: After entering the 1005 – 1040 resistance area, November soybeans posted a bearish key reversal which remains intact, suggesting prices could erode further. Below the market, support remains between 960 and 955, with key support near the August low of 940.

Wheat

Market Notes: Wheat

  • It was an impressive close for wheat, with double-digit gains across all three classes. While support came from higher Matif wheat prices and a weaker US Dollar Index, much of the jump could be attributed to the “war premium” being factored in. There is talk that President Biden may lift restrictions on Ukraine’s use of NATO-allied missiles to strike Russia.
  • India has reportedly reduced the total amount of wheat that millers and traders can hold from 3,000 mt to 2,000 mt, in an effort to protect their domestic prices. There is also still talk that India may need to import wheat, which would be bullish.
  • As of September 10, the USDA reported that 57% of US winter wheat acres were experiencing drought conditions, up from 52% the previous week. This marks the highest level in a year and may impact winter wheat planting in the southern Plains.
  • Ukraine’s National Hydrometeorology Center reports critically low soil moisture levels, with approximately 70% of winter grain planting areas nearly devoid of moisture. This ranks among the worst summer and fall droughts, comparable to those in 2011 and 2015. However, there is still time for rainfall, as winter grains can be sown until early November in southern regions.
  • Dry conditions in Argentina continue to pose challenges for the development of their winter wheat crop. Meanwhile, Australia’s outlook is more favorable, as recent rainfall in the east has benefited their wheat crop, with additional rain expected in the same areas next week.

Chicago Wheat Action Plan Summary

Since mid-July, the wheat market has mostly drifted sideways as the trade tries to balance smaller US and global supplies against cheaper world export prices. During this period, a potential seasonal low was also marked on July 29th as managed funds maintained a sizable net short position in Chicago wheat. While slow global import demand and low Russian export prices continue to be a limiting factor in the market, any increase in US demand due to smaller crops in Europe and the Black Sea region could trigger an extended short-covering rally by managed funds.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 Chicago wheat. Considering the rally in wheat back in May, we recommended taking advantage of the elevated prices to make additional sales and buy upside July ’25 860 and 1020 calls (for their extended time frame) in case of a protracted rally. Our current strategy is to target 740 – 760 versus Sept ’24 to recommend further sales, while also targeting a selling price of about 73 cents in the 860 calls to achieve a net neutral cost on the remaining 1020 calls. The remaining 1020 calls would then continue to protect existing sales and give you confidence to make additional sales at higher prices.
  • No new action is recommended for 2025 Chicago wheat. Recently, we recommended taking advantage of the wheat rally to sell more of your anticipated 2025 SRW production. While we continue to recommend holding the remaining July ’25 620 puts—after advising to exit the first half back in July—to maintain downside coverage for any unsold bushels, we are targeting a 10-15% extension from our last sale to the 650–680 area in July ’25 to suggest making additional sales.
  • No action is currently recommended for 2026 Chicago Wheat. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted next year, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following Chicago wheat recommendations:

KC Wheat Action Plan Summary

Since mid-July, the wheat market has mostly drifted sideways as the trade tries to balance smaller US and global wheat supplies against cheaper world export prices. During this period, a potential seasonal low was also marked on the front month continuous charts as managed funds maintained a sizable net short position in the wheat markets. While low Black Sea export prices and slow world demand continue to weigh on US prices, the funds’ short position could trigger an extended short covering rally on any increase in US demand as world wheat ending stocks are expected to fall yet again this year.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 KC wheat. Considering the upside breakout in KC wheat back in May, we recommended buying upside July ’25 860 and 1020 calls (for their extended time frame) in case of a protracted rally. Our current strategy is to target 725 – 750 versus Sept ’24 to recommend further sales, while also targeting a selling price of about 71 cents on the 860 calls to achieve a net neutral cost on the remaining 1020 calls. The remaining 1020 calls would then continue to protect existing sales and give you confidence to make additional sales at higher prices.
  • No new action is currently recommended for 2025 KC Wheat. Earlier this summer we recommended exiting half of the previously recommended July ’25 620 puts once they reached 60 cents (double the original approximate cost) to realize gains in case the market rallies back, while still holding the remaining 620 puts at, or near, a net neutral cost for continued downside coverage on any unsold bushels. To that end, should the market continue to be weak, we are currently targeting the upper 400 range versus July ’25 to exit half of those remaining puts. Looking ahead, our current upside strategy is to target the 640 – 670 range, also in the July ’25, to recommend making additional sales.
  • No action is currently recommended for 2026 KC Wheat. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted next year, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following KC recommendations:

Mpls Wheat Action Plan Summary

Since printing a near-term low in mid-July, Minneapolis wheat has trended mostly sideways as the market attempts to balance smaller US and world supplies versus lower world export prices and lower world demand. During this period, managed funds have maintained their sizable, short positions in Minneapolis wheat. Though low Russian export prices continue to keep a lid on US prices, smaller crops in Europe and the Black Sea region could increase US demand, potentially triggering an extended short-covering rally, especially as global wheat ending stocks are projected to decline again this year.

  • No new action is recommended for 2024 Minneapolis wheat. With the close below 712 support in June, Grain Market Insider implemented its Plan B stop strategy, recommending additional sales for the 2024 crop due to waning upside momentum and an increased likelihood of a downward trend. Given the heightened volatility and the amount of time that remains to market this crop, we will maintain the current July ’25 KC wheat 860 and 1020 call options. Our target is a selling price of about 71 cents for the 860 calls to achieve a net neutral cost on the remaining 1020 calls. These 1020 calls will continue to protect existing sales and provide confidence to make additional sales at higher prices. While we are at the time of year when market lows often occur, we will consider posting upside targets in late September or early October when market conditions often become more advantageous, and harvest is mostly behind us.
  • No new action is currently recommended for the 2025 Minneapolis wheat crop. Since the growing season can often yield some of the best sales opportunities, we recently made two separate sales recommendations to get some early sales on the books for next year’s crop. While we will not be targeting any specific areas to make additional sales until later in the marketing year, we will continue to monitor the market for opportunities to exit the remaining July ’25 KC 620 puts that were recommended in June. To that end, should the market continue to be weak, we are currently targeting the upper 400 range to exit half of those remaining puts.
  • No Action is currently recommended for the 2026 Minneapolis wheat crop. We currently aren’t considering any recommendations at this time for the 2026 crop that will be planted 2 years from now, and it may be some time before conditions are conducive to consider making any recommendations. Be patient as we monitor the markets for signs of improvement.

To date, Grain Market Insider has issued the following Minneapolis wheat recommendations:

Other Charts / Weather

US 7-day precipitation forecast courtesy of NOAA, Weather Prediction Center.

Above: Brazil, N. Argentina 1 week forecast precipitation, percent of normal, courtesy of the National Weather Service, Climate Prediction Center.