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8-14 End of Day: Grains Close Lower Across the Board Following Export Sales Report

We are excited to offer you a new way to follow the markets! While CME Group policy changes mean our daily updates will no longer show pricing data, you can now explore our interactive quote board, featuring up-to-date charts to help you track market trends.

Grain Market Insider Interactive Quote Board

Grain Market Highlights

  • 🌽 Corn: Corn markets saw weakness today, closing lower due to a disappointing export report and expectations of a larger-than-anticipated upcoming crop, both of which weighed on prices.
  • 🌱 Soybeans: Soybeans closed lower as growing concerns over China’s reliability as a trade partner weighed on the market.
  • 🌾 Wheat: Wheat futures ended the trading day lower across all classes, pressured by a stronger U.S. dollar and a lack of fresh catalysts to spark any upward momentum in the market.
  • To see the updated U.S. 7-day precipitation forecast as well as the Brazil and Argentina one-week forecast total precipitation courtesy of the National Weather Service, Climate Prediction Center and 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

2025 Crop: 

  • Plan A:

    • Exit half of the December 420 puts @ 43-3/4 cents.

  • Plan B: No active targets.
  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Seven sales recommendations have been made to date, with an average price of 461.25.
    • Changes:

      • None.
      • FYI – yesterday the 420 puts closed at 30-7/8 cents.

2026 Crop: 

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • A close over 482 resistance vs Dec ‘26 and buy call options (strikes TBD).

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Four sales recommendations have been made to date, with an average price of 462.
    • Changes:

      • None.
      • Resistance for the macro trend sits at 482 vs December ’26. A close above 482 would signal a potential shift to a macro uptrend, triggering a call option purchase.

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

  • Corn futures finished mixed to lower in the session as prices consolidated at recent lows. Weaknesses in other grains, export sales cancellations, and the prospects of large supplies limit the upside in the corn market.
  • The USDA released weekly corn export sales on Thursday morning, and it brought a mixed bag of information. Sales for the 2024-25 marketing year hit a market year low with net reductions of 88,700 MT (3.5 mb). While a few new sales occurred, they were offset by 601,200 MT (23.7 mb) of reductions. The marketing year ends at the end of the month, what can’t get shipped is either canceled or rolled to 2025-26. New crop sales remain strong with sales of 2.048 MMT (80.7 mb). 
  • USDA announced flash exports sales of corn on Thursday morning. South Korea to purchase 136,000MT and Spain added 132,000 MT for the 2025-26 marketing year. U.S. corn export prices will remain competitive moving into the fall months as the market works through a potential record supply of corn.
  • The Brazil Ag agency, CONAB raise their expectations for the Brazil corn crop by 5 MMT on Thursday morning to 137 MMT crop (5.398 BB), which is a record production. USDA forecast the Brazil crop at 132 MMT on Tuesday WASDE report.
  • Corn prices will likely stay pressured, or rallies limited as both the U.S. and Brazil are producing record corn crops. The large volume of supply in the global corn market will take time to digest as the corn market is currently in a supply driven bear market and demand will be the key.

Soybeans

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A:

    • Exit one-third of 1100 call options at 1085 vs November.

  • Plan B:

    • No active targets.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Two sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 1040.25.
    • Changes:

      • The upside target to exit two-thirds of the 1100 calls at 88 cents has been cancelled, given the substantial rally that would be required to reach that target.

2026 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • A close over 1161 resistance vs Nov ‘26 and buy call options (strikes TBD).

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Zero sales recommendations made so far to date.
    • Changes:

      • A new upside Plan B call buy stop has been activated. Resistance for the macro trend sits at 1161 vs November ‘26. A close above 1161 would signal a potential shift to a macro uptrend, triggering a call option purchase. Remaining below this resistance keeps the broader trend sideways-lower, with no immediate need for call option coverage.

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

  • Soybeans ended the day sharply lower following three days of large gains as weakness in soybean oil weighed on the complex along with concerns over export demand and China as a trade partner. Despite the losses, November futures closed above all major moving averages. Soybean meal ended the day lower as well.
  • Export sales were mixed for soybeans with a net cancellation of 13.9 million bushels for 24/25 and an increase of 41.6 mb for 25/26. New crop sales were better than expected. Top buyers were the Netherlands, Bangladesh, and Japan. Last week’s export shipments of 19.6 mb were below the 26.9 mb needed each week to meet USDA expectations.
  • Weather forecasts throughout the rest of the month call for warm summer temperatures and enough moisture to get through pod fill. It is possible that the USDA increases yield again in the September report, but it is also possible that export demand is lowered which could see the ending stocks number increase.
  • In Brazil, soybean production is expected to rise by nearly 1 mmt to 170.5 mmt because of better than expected yields. The USDA has not yet increased production estimates for Brazil.

Wheat

Market Notes: Wheat

  • Wheat closed lower across the board. Today’s PPI report showed higher than expected inflation, which led to a jump in the U.S. Dollar, which ultimately weighed on wheat values. Additionally, a recent lack of fresh friendly news has made it difficult for wheat to rally.
  • The USDA reported an increase of 26.6 mb of wheat export sales for 25/26. Shipments last week totaled 12.5 mb, which falls under the 17.4 mb pace needed per week to reach their 25/26 export goal of 875 mb. However, total 25/26 sales commitments have reached 404 mb which is up 24% from last year.
  • In an update from CONAB, they kept their Brazilian wheat production estimate unchanged at 7.81 mmt. This is slightly above the USDA’s guess of 7.5 mmt. Meanwhile, the Rosario Grain Exchange has said that good rains are benefiting Argentina’s wheat crop, and their production estimate has been kept steady at 20 mmt.
  • After recent rains, spring wheat areas in drought as of August 12 have fallen to just 16% compared with 35% the week before. While the moisture may benefit later planted crops, it may also slow HRS harvest and potentially cause quality concerns. In addition, winter wheat areas in drought declined 1% to 29% over the same time period.
  • According to DRV, a German ag co-op group, Germany’s 2025 grain harvest is now estimated at 43 mmt, up from 41.7 mmt previously. This would be a 10% jump above the 2024 crop, if accurate. Wheat production specifically is now seen at 22.4 mmt, compared with 21.6 mmt before.
  • The finance and agriculture ministries in China have allocated 1.1 billion yuan (the equivalent of over $153 million USD) in disaster relief funds. The goal is to stabilize grain production in major growing regions.

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A:

    • Target 599.75 vs September for the next sale.

  • Plan B:

    • Buy call options if September closes over 633.50 macro resistance.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Five sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 646.
    • Changes:

      • The 599.75 target was lowered to 596.

2026 Crop:

  • Plan A:

    • Target 608.50 vs July ‘26 for the next sale.

  • Plan B:

    • No active targets.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: One sales recommendation made to date at 624.
    • Changes:

      • The 608.50 upside target was raised to 612.25.

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Buy call options if September closes over 653 macro resistance.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Five sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 618.
    • Changes:

      • None.

2026 Crop:

  • Plan A:

    • Target 622 vs July ‘26 to make the first cash sale.

  • Plan B:

    • Close below 549 support vs July ‘26 to make the first cash sale.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Zero sales recommendations made so far to date.
    • Changes:

      • The 683 upside sale target was lowered to 661.

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

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Buy KC call options if September KC closes over 653 macro resistance (strikes TBD).

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Five sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 646.
    • Changes:

      • None. Still no new active sales targets to report yet.
      • FYI – KC options are used for better liquidity.

2026 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Sell a second portion if September ‘26 closes below 639 support.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: One sales recommendation made to date, at a price of 678.75.

      • Changes:

        • None.
        • FYI – KC options are used for better liquidity.

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

Other Charts / Weather

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8-13 End of Day: Grain Markets Close Mixed as Traders Weigh USDA Data

We are excited to offer you a new way to follow the markets! While CME Group policy changes mean our daily updates will no longer show pricing data, you can now explore our interactive quote board, featuring up-to-date charts to help you track market trends.

Grain Market Insider Interactive Quote Board

Grain Market Highlights

  • 🌽 Corn: The corn market finished higher today, as traders continued to digest yesterday’s report and found additional support from strength in the other grain markets.
  • 🌱 Soybeans: Soybeans ended Wednesday’s trade higher, as traders continued to draw support from yesterday’s report and optimism over a potential trade deal with China.
  • 🌾 Wheat: Wheat trade ended mixed, struggling to gain momentum following yesterday’s lackluster USDA report for the wheat markets.
  • To see updated U.S. weather maps 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

2025 Crop: 

  • Plan A:

    • Exit half of the December 420 puts @ 43-3/4 cents.

  • Plan B: No active targets.
  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Seven sales recommendations have been made to date, with an average price of 461.25.
    • Changes:

      • None.
      • FYI – yesterday the 420 puts closed at 30-7/8 cents.

2026 Crop: 

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • A close over 482 resistance vs Dec ‘26 and buy call options (strikes TBD).

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Four sales recommendations have been made to date, with an average price of 462.
    • Changes:

      • None.
      • Resistance for the macro trend sits at 482 vs December ’26. A close above 482 would signal a potential shift to a macro uptrend, triggering a call option purchase.

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

  • The corn market posted marginal gains on Wednesday as the market continues to process Tuesday’s negative USDA crop production report forecasting a record corn crop for this fall. Strength in other grains helped provide support to the market. 
  • Even with a yield forecast well above expectations, the addition of 2.1 million acres to the corn crop was the biggest weight on prices and potential supplies ballooned. The corn market is in a supply driven bear market, and demand will be the key to working through a burdensome supply outlook.
  • New crop corn export sales are off to a strong start with one of the best years in accumulated sales over the past two decades. As of July 31, new crop export sales commitments have totaled 11.77 MMT (433.2 mb). This is over twice as much corn sold last year for the 2024-25 marketing year at this time window.
  • USDA will release weekly export sales report tomorrow morning. Expectations are for new sales for the 2025-26 marketing year to range from 900,000 – 2.4 MMT for the week ending August 7.
  • Participants in the corn market will be watching crop tours and “boots on the ground” tours to determine if the USDA yield is accurate. Finishing weather and disease pressure are going to be components in the final yield level puzzle.

Soybeans

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A:

    • Exit one-third of 1100 call options at 1085 vs November.

  • Plan B:

    • No active targets.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Two sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 1040.25.
    • Changes:

      • The upside target to exit two-thirds of the 1100 calls at 88 cents has been cancelled, given the substantial rally that would be required to reach that target.

2026 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • A close over 1161 resistance vs Nov ‘26 and buy call options (strikes TBD).

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Zero sales recommendations made so far to date.
    • Changes:

      • A new upside Plan B call buy stop has been activated. Resistance for the macro trend sits at 1161 vs November ‘26. A close above 1161 would signal a potential shift to a macro uptrend, triggering a call option purchase. Remaining below this resistance keeps the broader trend sideways-lower, with no immediate need for call option coverage.

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

  • Soybeans ended the day sharply higher for the third consecutive day with the November contract posting its highest close since July 3 and filled the gap on the chart for that day. For the week, November soybeans have gained a whopping 56-3/4 cents so far. Both soybean meal and oil ended the day higher as well.
  • The U.S. is reportedly losing out on Chinese soybean sales as Brazil fills their needs during this key export period for the U.S. President Trump has tried to encourage China to buy, but they have been absent. In addition, U.S. soybeans are now much more expensive than Brazilian offers.
  • Highlights from yesterday’s report included an increase in estimated yield to 53.6 bpa. This was above the average trade estimate of 53 bpa and was above last month’s estimate of 52.5 bpa. However, both production and ending stocks were lowered due to a surprise revision lower in planted acreage. Ending stocks for 25/26 are now at just 290 mb, below the estimate of 360 mb. World-ending stocks were lowered slightly for 25/26.
  • Weather forecasts throughout the rest of the month call for warm summer temperatures and enough moisture to get through pod fill. It is possible that the USDA increases yield again in the September report, but it is also possible that export demand is lowered which could see the ending stocks number increase.

Wheat

Market Notes: Wheat

  • Wheat had a mixed close today, not able to find strength in either direction. This is likely the result of a somewhat neutral report yesterday, along with a lack of fresh impactful news. While September Chicago did make a new low today, it has not breached support at the five-dollar level, yet. Wheat may continue to follow corn for the time being.
  • Early next week, Argentinian wheat growing areas are expected to see beneficial rains. Meanwhile, rain in the US northern Plains is expected to have a negative impact on spring wheat quality and may also slow harvest.
  • According to the Russian agriculture ministry, their 2025 grain harvest is 47% complete – an estimated 75 mmt of grain has been collected so far. Recently, they estimated that total grain output would reach 135 mmt.
  • SovEcon has increased their Russian wheat production estimate from 83.6 mmt to 85.2 mmt. Better than expected yields, along with higher acreage, are cited as the reasons for the uptick. Wheat planted area is now estimated at 26.9 million hectares versus 26.6 million hectares previously.  
  • European Union soft wheat exports reached 1.43 mmt as of August 10; the export season began on July 1. This total is down about 56% from the 3.28 mmt shipped during the same timeframe last year. The top importer was Saudi Arabia, followed by Nigeria and Algeria.

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A:

    • Target 599.75 vs September for the next sale.

  • Plan B:

    • Buy call options if September closes over 633.50 macro resistance.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Five sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 646.
    • Changes:

      • The 599.75 target was lowered to 596.

2026 Crop:

  • Plan A:

    • Target 608.50 vs July ‘26 for the next sale.

  • Plan B:

    • No active targets.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: One sales recommendation made to date at 624.
    • Changes:

      • The 681 upside target was lowered to 608.5.

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Buy call options if September closes over 653 macro resistance.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Five sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 618.
    • Changes:

      • None.

2026 Crop:

  • Plan A:

    • Target 622 vs July ‘26 to make the first cash sale.

  • Plan B:

    • Close below 549 support vs July ‘26 to make the first cash sale.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Zero sales recommendations made so far to date.
    • Changes:

      • The 683 upside sale target was lowered to 662.

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

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Buy KC call options if September KC closes over 653 macro resistance (strikes TBD).

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Five sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 646.
    • Changes:

      • None. Still no new active sales targets to report yet.
      • FYI – KC options are used for better liquidity.

2026 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Sell a second portion if September ‘26 closes below 639 support.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: One sales recommendation made to date, at a price of 678.75.

      • Changes:

        • None.
        • FYI – KC options are used for better liquidity.

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

Other Charts / Weather

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8-12 End of Day: Grain Markets Mixed After WASDE: Corn and Wheat Fall, Soybeans Gain

All Prices as of 2:00 pm Central Time

Grain Market Highlights

  • 🌽 Corn: Corn markets closed lower today, pressured by a larger-than-expected increase in yield in today’s Crop Production Report.
  • 🌱 Soybeans: Soybean markets were the only grain to post gains today, supported by a bullish WASDE report that raised yield estimates.
  • 🌾 Wheat: Wheat markets followed corn lower today, with all three classes posting losses, pressured by the latest WASDE report.
  • To see updated U.S. weather maps 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

2025 Crop: 

  • Plan A:

    • Exit half of the December 420 puts @ 43-3/4 cents.

  • Plan B: No active targets.
  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Seven sales recommendations have been made to date, with an average price of 461.25.
    • Changes:

      • None.

2026 Crop: 

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • A close over 482 resistance vs Dec ‘26 and buy call options (strikes TBD).

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Four sales recommendations have been made to date, with an average price of 462.
    • Changes:

      • Resistance for the macro trend sits at 482 vs December ’26. A close above 482 would signal a potential shift to a macro uptrend, triggering a call option purchase.

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

  • A surprise acre adjustment and a larger than expected yield adjustment on the August crop production report pressured corn futures to new contract lows as the market experienced sharp losses. Only the strength in the soybean market likely supported the corn market on the session.
  • The USDA increased corn planted acreage by 2.1 million acres to 90.7 million on the crop production report for August. In addition, raised the projected yield well above expectations to 188.8 bu/acre for this year’s corn crop. The surge in acres and yield projected for this year’s U.S. corn crop brought production to 16.742 BB, up 1.875 BB from last year as the U.S. is forecasted for a record crop on record acreage.
  • The total of 16.742 BB is a large supply. The USDA made strong demand adjustments totaling 545 mb for exports, feed usage, and ethanol usage to cut into that corn supply, but new crop carryout is projected at 2.117 BB, well over market expectations.
  • The combination of corn supply and demand puts the stocks-to-use ratio at 13.3% or approximately 48.5 days of available supply. This is a heavy ratio, and the largest in U.S. corn since 2018-19 marketing year.
  • Export demand remains strong as Mexico was a purchaser of corn on a flash sale overnight. Mexico added 315,488 MT (12.42 mb) of corn split between this year and next marketing year. 20,830 MT for 2024-25, and 294,658 MT (11.6 MB) for 2025-26. U.S. corn will stay very competitive in the global export market well into the end of the year at these price levels.

Soybeans

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A:

    • Exit one-third of 1100 call options at 1085 vs November.

  • Plan B:

    • No active targets.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Two sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 1040.25.
    • Changes:

      • The upside target to exit two-thirds of the 1100 calls at 88 cents has been cancelled, given the substantial rally that would be required to reach that target.

2026 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • A close over 1161 resistance vs Nov ‘26 and buy call options (strikes TBD).

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Zero sales recommendations made so far to date.
    • Changes:

      • A new upside Plan B call buy stop has been activated. Resistance for the macro trend sits at 1161 vs November ‘26. A close above 1161 would signal a potential shift to a macro uptrend, triggering a call option purchase. Remaining below this resistance keeps the broader trend sideways-lower, with no immediate need for call option coverage.

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

  • Soybeans ended the day sharply higher fueled by a bullish WASDE report. The November contract closed above all major moving averages for the first time in nearly a month and traded within a 41-cent range for the day. Both soybean meal and oil were higher, but not significantly.
  • Highlights from today’s report included an increase in estimated yield to 53.6 bpa. This was above the average trade guess of 53 bpa and was above last month’s estimate of 52.5 bpa. However, both production and ending stocks were lowered due to a surprise revision lower in planted acreage. Ending stocks for 25/26 are now at just 290 mb, below the estimate of 360 mb. World ending stocks were lowered slightly for 25/26.
  • Yesterday’s Crop Progress report saw soybean ratings fall one point to 68% good to excellent which is the same rating seen a year ago at this time. 91% of the crop is blooming and 71% is setting pods, both in line with last year’s progress.
  • Yesterday’s export inspections came in better than expected today with soybean inspections totaling 19 mb for the week ending August 7. This put total inspections for 24/25 at 1.77 bb, which is up 11% from the previous year at this time. China has remained absent from purchasing.

Wheat

Market Notes: Wheat

  • Wheat closed lower across all three classes today, with Chicago futures posting new contract lows. Market attention was focused on the monthly WASDE report, which leaned bearish for winter wheat but offered slight support for spring wheat. Overall, the report was relatively neutral for the wheat complex. However, weakness in the corn market likely dragged wheat lower as a follower.
  • On today’s report, the USDA lowered 25/26 wheat production by 2 mb from last month, to 1.927 bb. Winter wheat production increased 10 mb to 1.355 bb, which was more than expected, whereas spring wheat production fell 19 mb to 485 mb. U.S. exports were also raised by 25 mb.
  • U.S. wheat ending stocks for 24/25 were unchanged at 851 mb, but for 25/26 they were cut by 21 mb to 869 mb. Globally, 24/25 carryout declined by 0.9 mmt to 262.7 mmt, and for 25/26 it was dropped buy 1.4 mmt to 260.1 mmt.
  • Yesterday afternoon’s crop progress report indicated that winter wheat harvested advanced 4% to 90% complete. Additionally, spring wheat conditions improved 1% to 49% good to excellent and 16% of that crop is harvested, up from 5% last week.
  • According to data from Rosstat, Russia’s 2025 planted area decreased by 1.1%, and grain areas in particular fell by 5.1%. Wheat areas specifically declined from 16.134 million hectares to 15.815 million hectares.
  • Data from Cepea indicates that Brazilian wheat imports are on the rise, while domestic prices are falling. The amount accumulated in the past 12 months is said to be about 20% above the previous 12 months. In addition, Secex reports that Brazil imported 616,910 mt of wheat in July, up 26.7% from their June imports.

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A:

    • Target 599.75 vs September for the next sale.

  • Plan B:

    • Buy call options if September closes over 633.50 macro resistance.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Five sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 646.
    • Changes:

      • None.

2026 Crop:

  • Plan A:

    • Target 608.50 vs July ‘26 for the next sale.

  • Plan B:

    • No active targets.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: One sales recommendation made to date at 624.
    • Changes:

      • The 681 upside target was lowered to 608.5.

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Buy call options if September closes over 653 macro resistance.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Five sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 618.
    • Changes:

      • None.

2026 Crop:

  • Plan A:

    • Target 622 vs July ‘26 to make the first cash sale.

  • Plan B:

    • Close below 549 support vs July ‘26 to make the first cash sale.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Zero sales recommendations made so far to date.
    • Changes:

      • The 683 upside sale target was lowered to 662.

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

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Buy KC call options if September KC closes over 653 macro resistance (strikes TBD).

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Five sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 646.
    • Changes:

      • None. Still no new active sales targets to report yet.
      • FYI – KC options are used for better liquidity.

2026 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Sell a second portion if September ‘26 closes below 639 support.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: One sales recommendation made to date, at a price of 678.75.

      • Changes:

        • None.
        • FYI – KC options are used for better liquidity.

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

Other Charts / Weather

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8-11 End of Day: Grains Position Ahead of USDA’s WASDE Report Release

All Prices as of 2:00 pm Central Time

Grain Market Highlights

  • 🌽 Corn: Corn futures started the week on a positive note, ending the day with gains, supported by export inspections that came in above market expectations.
  • 🌱 Soybeans: Soybean futures closed higher on Monday, supported by headlines that President Trump urged China to significantly increase its soybean purchases, fueling hopes for stronger export demand.
  • 🌾 Wheat: Wheat futures ended Monday’s session mixed, as traders positioned themselves ahead of tomorrow’s USDA report while being pressured by a stronger U.S. dollar.
  • To see updated U.S. weather outlook maps 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

2025 Crop: 

  • Plan A:

    • Exit half of the December 420 puts @ 43-3/4 cents.

  • Plan B: No active targets.
  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Seven sales recommendations have been made to date, with an average price of 461.25.
    • Changes:

      • The exit target for the 510 call options has been cancelled, given the significant rally that would be required to reach it.
      • For the 420 puts to achieve the 43 ¾ cent target, the December ’25 contract would need to fall to roughly the 380 area.

2026 Crop: 

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • A close over 482 resistance vs Dec ‘26 and buy call options (strikes TBD).

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Four sales recommendations have been made to date, with an average price of 462.
    • Changes:

      • The 483 sales target has been cancelled, and an upside Plan B call buy stop has been added at 482. Resistance for the macro trend sits at 482 vs December ’26. A close above 482 would signal a potential shift to a macro uptrend, triggering a call option purchase. Remaining below this resistance keeps the broader trend sideways-to-lower, with no immediate need for call option coverage to protect the four prior sales recommendations.

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

  • The corn market began the week with modest gains, supported by strength in the soybean market and friendly corn demand , as traders positioned ahead of Tuesday’s August WASDE report.
  • The August USDA Crop Production Report, set for release Tuesday, is expected to include potential yield adjustments that could impact market direction. Analysts peg average corn yield at 184.3 bu/acre, 3.3 bu/acre above trend, with estimates ranging from 182.5 to 188.1 — setting the stage for volatility. In addition, the market will be closely watched for demand-side adjustments, as new crop ending stocks are expected to rise to 1.900 billion bushels, up from 1.660 billion. The projected increase in production is anticipated to contribute to the larger carryout.
  • USDA did not announce any flash sales of corn on Monday but did release weekly export inspections. For the week ending August 7, US exporters shipped 1.492 MMT (58.7 mb) of corn, above market expectations.
  • Corn export shipments out of Brazil last week were at 1.71 MMT, which was down 0.9% under last week. Corn shipments out of Brazil to date for August at 7.58 MMT, up 18% over last year as Brazil wraps up harvest of a record second corn crop.
  • Still in search of a deal with China, President Trump signed an executive order on Monday afternoon to extend the tariff deadline with China until November 9. China is still absent from the U.S. corn and soybean export market going into the 2025-26 marketing year.s.

Soybeans

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A:

    • Exit one-third of 1100 call options at 1085 vs November.
    • Exit remaining two-thirds of 1100 November call options at 88 cents.

  • Plan B:

    • No active targets.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Two sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 1040.25.
    • Changes:

      • None.

2026 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B: No active targets.
  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Zero sales recommendations made so far to date.
    • Changes:

      • None. Still waiting on first targets for 2026 to post.

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

  • Soybeans ended the day sharply higher, with the November contract recovering a significant portion of the losses from the past two weeks after President Trump urged China to ‘quadruple’ its soybean purchases. Shortly after the market closed, it was announced that the U.S. would extend its pause on Chinese tariffs until November 9, providing additional time for trade negotiations.
  • Export inspections came in better than expected today with soybean inspections totaling 19 mb for the week ending August 7. This put total inspections for 24/25 at 1.77 bb, which is up 11% from the previous year at this time. China has remained absent from purchasing.
  • The August USDA Crop Production report will be out tomorrow and could bring yield adjustments to the soybean crop. Analysts peg average yield at 53.0 bu/acre, 0.5 bu/acre above the trendline, with estimates ranging from 52.0 to 54.0 bpa — setting the stage for volatility.
  • Friday’s CFTC report saw funds as sellers of soybeans by 29,619 contracts increasing their net short position to 65,930 contracts. They sold 11,661 contracts of bean oil leaving them long 54,939 contracts and 234 contracts of meal leaving them short 133,592 contracts.

Wheat

Market Notes: Wheat

  • Wheat closed quietly, hovering near neutral, as traders weighed multiple factors ahead of tomorrow’s monthly WASDE report, where the U.S. wheat balance sheet is expected to show a slightly bullish outlook. However, today’s higher U.S. Dollar and lower close for Matif wheat likely limited upside for U.S. futures.
  • The average pre-report estimate of U.S. 25/26 all wheat production comes in at 1.925 bb, down slightly from the 1.929 bb estimated in July. When broken down by class, winter wheat production is expected to increase 4 mb, while spring wheat is expected to decrease 7 mb. Additionally, U.S. ending stocks are expected to fall 1 mb to 850 mb for 24/25, while for 25/26 the carryout is anticipated to decline by 5 mb to 885 mb.  
  • Weekly wheat inspections amounted to 13.4 mb, bringing total 25/26 inspections to 161 mb, up 2% from last year. This is below the USDA’s projected pace; 25/26 exports are estimated up 3% from the year prior at 850 mb.
  • President Trump will meet this Friday in Alaska with Russian President Putin to discuss the war in Ukraine, which will hopefully lead to a peace deal. There were also rumors that Ukraine’s President Zelensky would be in attendance, but at this time that has not been confirmed.
  • According to Rusagrotrans, Russia shipped 1.78 mmt of wheat in the month of July, which is down from the 2.8 mmt exported last year. Egypt was the top purchaser at 371,000 mt, followed by Turkey at 228,000 mt, and Saudi Arabia at 128,000 mt.

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A:

    • Target 599.75 vs September for the next sale.

  • Plan B:

    • Buy call options if September closes over 633.50 macro resistance.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Five sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 646.
    • Changes:

      • New upside sales target.

2026 Crop:

  • CONTINUED OPPORTUNITY – Sell a second portion of your 2026 Chicago wheat crop
  • Plan A:

    • Target 681 vs July ‘26 for the next sale.

  • Plan B:

    • No active targets.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: One sales recommendation made to date at 624.
    • Changes:

      • None.

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Buy call options if September closes over 653 macro resistance.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Five sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 618.
    • Changes:

      • None. No new active sales targets to report yet.

2026 Crop:

  • Plan A:

    • Target 683 vs July ‘26 to make the first cash sale.

  • Plan B:

    • Close below 549 support vs July ‘26 to make the first cash sale.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Zero sales recommendations made so far to date.
    • Changes:

      • None.

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

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Buy KC call options if September KC closes over 653 macro resistance (strikes TBD).

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Five sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 646.
    • Changes:

      • None. Still no new active sales targets to report yet.
      • FYI – KC options are used for better liquidity.

2026 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Sell a second portion if September ‘26 closes below 639 support.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: One sales recommendation made to date, at a price of 678.75.

      • Changes:

        • None.
        • FYI – KC options are used for better liquidity.

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

Other Charts / Weather

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8-8 End of Day: Grains Under Pressure Ahead of Key WASDE Report

All Prices as of 2:00 pm Central Time

Grain Market Highlights

  • 🌽 Corn: Corn prices slipped into the weekend as early gains faded, marking the third straight weekly decline. Trade expects next week’s WASDE to peg U.S. corn yield at 184.3 bpa, up from 181 in July.
  • 🌱 Soybeans: Soybeans ended lower Friday, erasing early gains as fund selling returned. Trade expects next week’s WASDE to peg soybean yield at 53.0 bpa and production at 4.37 bb.
  • 🌾 Wheat: Wheat ended mixed Friday, with losses in Chicago and Kansas City offset by modest gains in Minneapolis. Spring wheat strength was likely supported by overnight storms in the U.S. northern Plains and southern Canadian Prairies, along with expectations that next week’s WASDE may trim yield estimates.
  • To see the updated U.S. weather outlook maps 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

2025 Crop: 

  • Plan A:

    • Exit half of the December 420 puts @ 43-3/4 cents.

  • Plan B: No active targets.
  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Seven sales recommendations have been made to date, with an average price of 461.25.
    • Changes:

      • The exit target for the 510 call options has been cancelled, given the significant rally that would be required to reach it.
      • For the 420 puts to achieve the 43 ¾ cent target, the December ’25 contract would need to fall to roughly the 380 area.

2026 Crop: 

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • A close over 482 resistance vs Dec ‘26 and buy call options (strikes TBD).

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Four sales recommendations have been made to date, with an average price of 462.
    • Changes:

      • The 483 sales target has been cancelled, and an upside Plan B call buy stop has been added at 482. Resistance for the macro trend sits at 482 vs December ’26. A close above 482 would signal a potential shift to a macro uptrend, triggering a call option purchase. Remaining below this resistance keeps the broader trend sideways-to-lower, with no immediate need for call option coverage to protect the four prior sales recommendations.

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

  • Sellers stayed in control of the corn market going into the weekend as prices failed to hold early session gains to finish with mild losses. Corn futures finished the week lower for the third consecutive week. September futures lost 6 ¾ and December futures lost 5 ¼ cents on the week.
  • Even with the U.S. dollar trending lower, ag commodities faced broad pressure from tariff concerns and fund selling, leading to a generally negative tone.
  • New crop corn demand remains firm, with USDA reporting a 125,000 MT sale to unknown destinations for 2025–26 delivery. Sales are running 28% ahead of last year and rank among the strongest starts in the past decade.
  • The August USDA crop production report, due Tuesday, could bring yield adjustments. Analysts peg average yield at 184.3 bu/acre, 3.3 bu/acre above trend, with estimates ranging from 182.5 to 188.1—setting the stage for volatility.
  • Weather outlooks call for above-normal temperatures over the next two weeks, with weekend rainfall across the Corn Belt in focus. December corn futures have closed lower in 11 of the past 12 Mondays.

Soybeans

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A:

    • Exit one-third of 1100 call options at 1085 vs November.
    • Exit remaining two-thirds of 1100 November call options at 88 cents.

  • Plan B:

    • No active targets.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Two sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 1040.25.
    • Changes:

      • None.

2026 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B: No active targets.
  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Zero sales recommendations made so far to date.
    • Changes:

      • None. Still waiting on first targets for 2026 to post.

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

  • Soybeans ended the day lower to finish out the week. Futures were initially higher by as much as five cents but faded throughout the day as funds reinstated selling pressure. Soybean meal closed higher, while soybean oil fell alongside crude oil.
  • Trade expects next week’s WASDE to peg soybean yield at 53.0 bpa and production at 4.37 bb, though the yield could be higher. Ending stocks are projected at 358 mb, with global stocks also seen rising.
  • Brazilian cash soybean prices have seen basis firming, making it difficult for importers to source soybeans out of Brazil. For the key fall months, U.S. soybeans are the better value on the export market, and there were whispers of Brazil end users looking to possibly source a few soybeans from the U.S.
  • Some weakness in the soy complex can be attributed to lower energies in general following an OPEC+ statement that they would increase oil production. This has been bearish for both crude oil and soybean oil.

Wheat

Market Notes: Wheat

  • Wheat ended mixed Friday, with losses in Chicago and Kansas City offset by modest gains in Minneapolis. Spring wheat strength was likely supported by overnight storms in the U.S. northern Plains and southern Canadian Prairies, along with expectations that next week’s WASDE may trim yield estimates.
  • Media reports suggest the U.S. and Russia have outlined a potential peace deal, possibly to be formalized at a summit next week, which would allow Russia to retain control of parts of eastern Ukraine.
  • IKAR has increased their estimate of Russian wheat production by 0.5 mmt to 84.5 mmt due to good yields in central areas. For reference, this compares to the USDA forecast of 83.5 mmt. In related news, the French agriculture ministry also raised their soft wheat production estimate by 0.5 mmt to 33.1 mmt and reported that harvest is 94% complete as of August 4.
  • The Buenos Aires Grain Exchange reported Argentine wheat planting is now complete at 6.7 million hectares, up 400,000 hectares from last year. Early conditions are favorable, with 99% of the crop rated normal to excellent.

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A:

    • Target 599.75 vs September for the next sale.

  • Plan B:

    • Buy call options if September closes over 633.50 macro resistance.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Five sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 646.
    • Changes:

      • New upside sales target.

2026 Crop:

  • CONTINUED OPPORTUNITY – Sell a second portion of your 2026 Chicago wheat crop
  • Plan A:

    • Target 681 vs July ‘26 for the next sale.

  • Plan B:

    • No active targets.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: One sales recommendation made to date at 624.
    • Changes:

      • None.

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Buy call options if September closes over 653 macro resistance.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Five sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 618.
    • Changes:

      • None. No new active sales targets to report yet.

2026 Crop:

  • Plan A:

    • Target 683 vs July ‘26 to make the first cash sale.

  • Plan B:

    • Close below 549 support vs July ‘26 to make the first cash sale.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Zero sales recommendations made so far to date.
    • Changes:

      • None.

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

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Buy KC call options if September KC closes over 653 macro resistance (strikes TBD).

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Five sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 646.
    • Changes:

      • None. Still no new active sales targets to report yet.
      • FYI – KC options are used for better liquidity.

2026 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Sell a second portion if September ‘26 closes below 639 support.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: One sales recommendation made to date, at a price of 678.75.

      • Changes:

        • None.
        • FYI – KC options are used for better liquidity.

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

Other Charts / Weather

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8-7 End of Day: Grain Markets Gain Ground on Supportive Export Report

All Prices as of 2:00 pm Central Time

Grain Market Highlights

  • 🌽 Corn: Corn markets ended Thursday’s trading session with modest gains, finding support from a positive export report that boosted market sentiment and helped offset recent downward pressure.
  • 🌱 Soybeans: Soybeans ended the day on a higher note, supported by strong export sales and trader positioning ahead of next week’s WASDE report.
  • 🌾 Wheat: Wheat markets followed corn’s lead on Thursday, closing the day with gains across all three classes, supported by strong export sales that reinforced demand optimism.
  • To see the updated U.S. 7-day precipitation forecast as well as the Brazil and Argentina one-week forecast total precipitation courtesy of the National Weather Service, Climate Prediction Center and 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

2025 Crop: 

  • Plan A:

    • Exit half of the December 420 puts @ 43-3/4 cents.

  • Plan B: No active targets.
  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Seven sales recommendations have been made to date, with an average price of 461.25.
    • Changes:

      • The exit target for the 510 call options has been cancelled, given the significant rally that would be required to reach it.
      • For the 420 puts to achieve the 43 ¾ cent target, the December ’25 contract would need to fall to roughly the 380 area.

2026 Crop: 

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • A close over 482 resistance vs Dec ‘26 and buy call options (strikes TBD).

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Four sales recommendations have been made to date, with an average price of 462.
    • Changes:

      • The 483 sales target has been cancelled, and an upside Plan B call buy stop has been added at 482. Resistance for the macro trend sits at 482 vs December ’26. A close above 482 would signal a potential shift to a macro uptrend, triggering a call option purchase. Remaining below this resistance keeps the broader trend sideways-to-lower, with no immediate need for call option coverage to protect the four prior sales recommendations.

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

  • The corn market saw follow-through buying support after Thursday’s rebound from contract lows. A firm tone in export demand, highlighted by strong weekly sales and additional new sales announcements, helped underpin prices and boost market sentiment.
  • The USDA released the weekly export sales report on Thursday morning. New crop corn sales remain very strong with new sales totaling 3.16 MMT (124.5 mb) for the week ending July 31, well above expectations, and the third highest total all time. A portion of the strong sales was the movement of 491,700 MT of sales reduced from old crop and rolled into new crop.
  • The corn marketing year ends on August 31, and the U.S. still has nearly 300 mb of old crop corn sales to ship. Export shipments will be key going into the end of the month, but it is likely any unshipped bushels will be shifted to new crop sales.
  • USDA announced two more flash sales of corn on Thursday morning. The USDA reported Mexico purchased 106,680 (4.2 mb) MT and Guatemala purchased 105,000 MT (4.1 mb) of corn for the 2025-26 marketing year.
  • Next Tuesday, August 12, the USDA will release the August crop production report with a potential yield adjustment. With the strong crop ratings, the average yield estimate by analysts is 184.3 bu/acre, up 3.3 bu/acre above trend of 181.0 bu/acre. The range of estimates is from 182.5 to 188.1. Such a wide range will likely bring volatility in the market going into that report.

Soybeans

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A:

    • Exit one-third of 1100 call options at 1085 vs November.
    • Exit remaining two-thirds of 1100 November call options at 88 cents.

  • Plan B:

    • No active targets.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Two sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 1040.25.
    • Changes:

      • None.

2026 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B: No active targets.
  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Zero sales recommendations made so far to date.
    • Changes:

      • None. Still waiting on first targets for 2026 to post.

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

  • Soybeans ended the day higher, snapping a two-day losing streak and recovering all of Wednesday’s losses and then some. The rally was likely fueled by profit-taking on short positions by funds ahead of next week’s WASDE report, as well as support from strong export sales. In the products, soybean meal finished higher, while soybean oil closed lower.
  • Today’s export sales report saw soybean sales exceed trade expectations with an increase of 17.2 million bushels for the 24/25 marketing year and an increase of 20.0 mb for 25/26. Top buyers were Taiwan, the Netherlands, and Germany. Last week’s export shipments of 25.3 mb were above the 16.9 mb needed each week to meet the USDA’s estimates.
  • The weather forecast is likely to provide some support to the soybean market as August weather is key for the bean crop development. Temperatures are forecasted to run 4-5 degrees above normal across the corn belt over the next couple weeks. Rainfall is to remain near to above normal as well for the same time period.
  • Brazilian cash soybean prices have seen basis firming, making it difficult for importers to source soybeans out of Brazil. For the key fall months, U.S. soybeans are the better value on the export market, and there where whispers of Brazil end users looking to possibly source a few soybeans from the U.S.

Wheat

Market Notes: Wheat

  • All three wheat classes finished strong for a second straight day during Thursday’s trade. The rally was sparked by strong export sales and short covering before next week’s USDA WASDE report.
  • Weekly export sales for wheat totaled 27 mb, which was at the upper end of trade expectations. Year-to-date commitments are up 21% from last year and sit at a 5-year high of 378 mb.
  • Trade estimates for next week’s WASDE report have all wheat production down from 1.929 billion bushels last month to 1.922 billion bushels this month. Ending Stocks are also seen falling from 890 mb to 882 mb.
  • There are reports that President Trump, Ukraine’s Zelenskyy and Russia’s Putin are set to meet in the upcoming days to discuss a resolution to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A:

    • Target 599.75 vs September for the next sale.

  • Plan B:

    • Buy call options if September closes over 633.50 macro resistance.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Five sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 646.
    • Changes:

      • New upside sales target.

2026 Crop:

  • CONTINUED OPPORTUNITY – Sell a second portion of your 2026 Chicago wheat crop
  • Plan A:

    • Target 681 vs July ‘26 for the next sale.

  • Plan B:

    • No active targets.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: One sales recommendation made to date at 624.
    • Changes:

      • None.

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Buy call options if September closes over 653 macro resistance.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Five sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 618.
    • Changes:

      • None. No new active sales targets to report yet.

2026 Crop:

  • CONTINUED OPPORTUNITY – Buy July ‘26 540 KC wheat puts on a portion of your 2026 HRW crop for approximately 26 cents in premium, plus commission and fees.
  • Plan A:

    • Target 683 vs July ‘26 to make the first cash sale.

  • Plan B:

    • Close below 549 support vs July ‘26 to make the first cash sale.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Zero sales recommendations made so far to date.
    • Changes:

      • None. Heads up that the July ‘26 contract is nearing the 584 Plan B stop, which if hit, would prompt buying July ‘26 put options.

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

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Buy KC call options if September KC closes over 653 macro resistance (strikes TBD).

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Five sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 646.
    • Changes:

      • None. Still no new active sales targets to report yet.
      • FYI – KC options are used for better liquidity.

2026 Crop:

  • CONTINUED OPPORTUNITY – Buy July ‘26 540 KC wheat puts on a portion of your 2026 HRS crop for approximately 26 cents in premium, plus commission and fees.
  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Sell a second portion if September ‘26 closes below 639 support.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: One sales recommendation made to date, at a price of 678.75.

      • Changes:

        • None.
        • FYI – KC options are used for better liquidity.

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

Other Charts / Weather

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

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

|

8-6 End of Day: Grain Markets Mixed as Corn and Soy Struggle Under Supply Pressure, Wheat Finds Support in Export Strength

All Prices as of 2:00 pm Central Time

Grain Market Highlights

  • 🌽 Corn: Corn futures pushed to fresh lows on Wednesday, testing key psychological levels of $3.80 for September and $4.00 for December. A firmer wheat market and late-session profit-taking helped prices recover slightly into the close.
  • 🌱 Soybeans: Soybeans closed lower for a second straight session, giving up early gains once again. Forecasts for better August rains and expectations for high yields in next week’s WASDE pressured the soy complex.
  • 🌾 Wheat: Wheat futures ended higher Wednesday, snapping a five-day losing streak, supported by a strong start to U.S. export demand in the 2025/26 marketing year.
  • To see updated U.S. weather maps 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

2025 Crop: 

  • Plan A:

    • Exit half of the December 420 puts @ 43-3/4 cents.

  • Plan B: No active targets.
  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Seven sales recommendations have been made to date, with an average price of 461.25.
    • Changes:

      • The exit target for the 510 call options has been cancelled, given the significant rally that would be required to reach it.
      • For the 420 puts to achieve the 43 ¾ cent target, the December ’25 contract would need to fall to roughly the 380 area.

2026 Crop: 

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • A close over 482 resistance vs Dec ‘26 and buy call options (strikes TBD).

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Four sales recommendations have been made to date, with an average price of 462.
    • Changes:

      • The 483 sales target has been cancelled, and an upside Plan B call buy stop has been added at 482. Resistance for the macro trend sits at 482 vs December ’26. A close above 482 would signal a potential shift to a macro uptrend, triggering a call option purchase. Remaining below this resistance keeps the broader trend sideways-to-lower, with no immediate need for call option coverage to protect the four prior sales recommendations.

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

  • Corn futures pushed to fresh lows on Wednesday, testing key psychological levels of $3.80 for September and $4.00 for December. The potential for a record harvest continues to outweigh a strong demand tone, keeping downside momentum intact.
  • December corn futures, the most actively traded contract, spent much of the session below $4.00. However, a firmer wheat market and late-session profit-taking helped prices recover slightly into the close.
  • Weekly ethanol production fell to 318 million gallons/day last week, down from 322 last week, but still 1% higher over last year. An estimated 108 mb of corn was used last week for ethanol production. This was below the estimates needed to reach the USDA 2024-25 ethanol targets. USDA will likely lower ethanol usage slightly in next week’s report for old crop corn.
  • Corn export demand remains robust. U.S. Census data showed June corn exports at 256.6 million bushels, the second-largest on record. July shipments remain strong, and new crop sales are off to their best start in several years amid firm global demand.
  • USDA will release weekly export sales data on Thursday morning. Old crop sales are expected to remain softer with the marketing year coming to a close on August 30, but new crop sales should remain strong. With published sales, approximately 862,000 MT of new crop sales were published for the week ending July 31.

From Barchart – World Corn Export Prices in U.S. Dollars per metric ton. Brazil (Blue), U.S. NOLA (White), Argentina (Red), Ukraine non-GMO (yellow)

Soybeans

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A:

    • Exit one-third of 1100 call options at 1085 vs November.
    • Exit remaining two-thirds of 1100 November call options at 88 cents.

  • Plan B:

    • No active targets.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Two sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 1040.25.
    • Changes:

      • With the move into August and additional price weakness, the 1114 upside sales target has been cancelled.

2026 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B: No active targets.
  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Zero sales recommendations made so far to date.
    • Changes:

      • None. Still waiting on first targets for 2026 to post.

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

  • Soybeans closed lower for the second consecutive day and once again started the day with gains before giving them up into the close. Better chances for August rains along with expectations for high yields in next week’s WASDE report pressured the soy complex. Soybean meal was lower while bean oil was mixed with the two front months lower and back months higher.
  • Brazilian soybean sales for the 2024/25 season are 78.4% complete as of August 5, down from 82.2% sold a year ago, according to Safras & Mercado. Sales for the 2025/26 crop are at 16.6% of expected output.
  • Brazilian soybean farmers are expected to plant 120 million acres in the 25/26 season according to consulting firm Celeres. StoneX anticipates that this will cause production to rise by 5.6% from the previous season to 178.2 mmt. For the 24/25 season, StoneX raised its production forecast to 111.7 mmt
  • Trade rumors of a potential U.S.-China agreement offered early support, but with China still absent from the U.S. soybean market, trader confidence may be fading. Additionally, President Trump’s move to raise tariffs on India to 50% may add downside pressure to soy prices.

From Barchart – World Soybean Export Prices in U.S. Dollars per metric ton. Brazil (Blue), U.S. NOLA (White), Argentina (Red)

Wheat

Market Notes: Wheat

  • After five consecutive days of losses, the wheat markets finally posted gains by the close of Wednesday’s trading session, supported by a strong start to U.S. export demand for the 2025–2026 marketing year.
  • While most U.S. crops are thriving, spring wheat continues to face challenges. The crop’s good-to-excellent rating fell to 48%, down 1% from the previous week and significantly lower than last year’s rating of 74%. However, the top-producing state, North Dakota, is showing more favorable conditions, with 64% of its crop rated good to excellent.
  • U.S. wheat exports reached 63 million bushels in June, marking a 13% increase year over year. The top export destinations included the Philippines, Mexico, Nigeria, and Japan. With the U.S. wheat harvest nearing completion, traders are hopeful that the current export momentum will continue into the coming months.
  • Combined open interest in Chicago and Kansas City wheat rose by nearly 9,000 contracts yesterday, even as prices dropped to new lows. While the market is showing increasingly oversold conditions, this alone does not necessarily signal an imminent rally from a technical standpoint.
  • The spring wheat harvest is expected to continue in the near term, as producers work around forecasted storms across parts of the Plains. While weather disruptions may slow progress in some areas, harvest activity remains steady overall. U.S. spring wheat harvest stands at 86% complete, just one point below the five-year average.

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A:

    • Target 599.75 vs September for the next sale.

  • Plan B:

    • Buy call options if September closes over 633.50 macro resistance.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Five sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 646.
    • Changes:

      • New upside sales target.

2026 Crop:

  • CONTINUED OPPORTUNITY – Sell a second portion of your 2026 Chicago wheat crop
  • Plan A:

    • Target 681 vs July ‘26 for the next sale.

  • Plan B:

    • No active targets.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: One sales recommendation made to date at 624.
    • Changes:

      • None.

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Buy call options if September closes over 653 macro resistance.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Five sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 618.
    • Changes:

      • None. No new active sales targets to report yet.

2026 Crop:

  • CONTINUED OPPORTUNITY – Buy July ‘26 540 KC wheat puts on a portion of your 2026 HRW crop for approximately 26 cents in premium, plus commission and fees.
  • Plan A:

    • Target 683 vs July ‘26 to make the first cash sale.

  • Plan B:

    • Close below 549 support vs July ‘26 to make the first cash sale.
    • Close below 584 support and buy July ‘26 put options (strikes TBD). – Hit 7/29.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Zero sales recommendations made so far to date.
    • Changes:

      • None. Heads up that the July ‘26 contract is nearing the 584 Plan B stop, which if hit, would prompt buying July ‘26 put options.

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

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Buy KC call options if September KC closes over 653 macro resistance (strikes TBD).

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Five sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 646.
    • Changes:

      • None. Still no new active sales targets to report yet.
      • FYI – KC options are used for better liquidity.

2026 Crop:

  • CONTINUED OPPORTUNITY – Buy July ‘26 540 KC wheat puts on a portion of your 2026 HRS crop for approximately 26 cents in premium, plus commission and fees.
  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Sell a second portion if September ‘26 closes below 639 support.
    • Close below 584 vs July ‘26 KC and buy July KC put options (strikes TBD).– Hit 7/29.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: One sales recommendation made to date, at a price of 678.75.

      • Changes:

        • None.
        • FYI – KC options are used for better liquidity.

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

From Barchart – World Wheat Export Prices in U.S. Dollars per metric ton. Russia (Blue), U.S. PNW (White), Argentina (Red), Ukraine (Yellow)

Other Charts / Weather

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8-5 End of Day: Markets Lean Bearish as Harvest Nears and Ratings Hold Strong

All Prices as of 2:00 pm Central Time

Grain Market Highlights

  • 🌽 Corn: Corn futures hit new lows as strong crop ratings and expectations for a large harvest outweighed supportive demand; technicals remain weak, encouraging sellers.
  • 🌱 Soybeans: Soybeans ended lower after early gains faded; November briefly broke above $10.00 before slipping. Crop Progress showed soybean ratings at 69% good-to-excellent, down one point from last week.
  • 🌾 Wheat: Wheat futures closed lower across the board as harvest pressure and steady farmer selling continued to weigh on prices.
  • To see updated U.S. weather maps 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

2025 Crop: 

  • Plan A:

    • Exit half of the December 420 puts @ 43-3/4 cents.

  • Plan B: No active targets.
  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Seven sales recommendations have been made to date, with an average price of 461.25.
    • Changes:

      • The exit target for the 510 call options has been cancelled, given the significant rally that would be required to reach it.
      • For the 420 puts to achieve the 43 ¾ cent target, the December ’25 contract would need to fall to roughly the 380 area.

2026 Crop: 

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • A close over 482 resistance vs Dec ‘26 and buy call options (strikes TBD).

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Four sales recommendations have been made to date, with an average price of 462.
    • Changes:

      • The 483 sales target has been cancelled, and an upside Plan B call buy stop has been added at 482. Resistance for the macro trend sits at 482 vs December ’26. A close above 482 would signal a potential shift to a macro uptrend, triggering a call option purchase. Remaining below this resistance keeps the broader trend sideways-to-lower, with no immediate need for call option coverage to protect the four prior sales recommendations.

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

  • Corn futures hit new lows as strong crop ratings and expectations for a large harvest outweighed supportive demand; technicals remain weak, encouraging sellers.
  • USDA reported a flash sale of 128,000 MT (5.03 mb) of corn to unknown destinations for 2025/26. U.S. corn remains highly competitive, with new crop sales ranking third-best in a decade for this time of year.
  • Corn crop rating remains strong at 73% G/E. Only 2016 was rated higher in the past decade for this time frame. The strong ratings have corn market traders comfortable with the short side of the market given the possible potential yield.
  • The corn market will be looking toward the August WASDE report on August 12 and the potential adjustments in corn yield given the condition of the crop. One private analyst group forecasted the August yield at 188.1 bushels/acre, up 7 bu/acre of trendline yield. More individual private analysts’ estimates will start hitting the news as the report moves closer.
  • Weather forecasts remain most favorable in the near term. Temperatures are expected to trend above normal, but rainfall is expected to also be normal to above normal for the same time period.

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

Soybeans

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A:

    • Exit one-third of 1100 call options at 1085 vs November.
    • Exit remaining two-thirds of 1100 November call options at 88 cents.

  • Plan B:

    • No active targets.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Two sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 1040.25.
    • Changes:

      • With the move into August and additional price weakness, the 1114 upside sales target has been cancelled.

2026 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B: No active targets.
  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Zero sales recommendations made so far to date.
    • Changes:

      • None. Still waiting on first targets for 2026 to post.

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

  • Soybeans ended lower after early gains faded; November briefly broke above $10.00 before slipping. Soybean meal rose, but bean oil followed crude lower.
  • Brazilian soybean farmers are expected to plant 120 million acres in the 25/26 season according to consulting firm Celeres. StoneX anticipates that this will cause production to rise by 5.6% from the previous season to 178.2 mmt. For the 24/25 season, StoneX raised its production forecast to 111.7 mmt.
  • Yesterday’s Crop Progress report saw soybean ratings fall one point from last week to 69% good to excellent, but trade expected this. 58% of the soybean crop is setting pods and 85% is blooming
  • Yesterday’s Export Inspection report saw soybean sales still sluggish but ahead of last week at 613k tons. This compared to 428k last week and 267k a year ago. Poor export demand combined with likely large yields have pressured the market- StoneX has forecast US yields at 53.6 bpa.

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

Wheat

Market Notes: Wheat

  • Wheat markets closed lower across the entire complex today as new crop supplies continue to enter the pipeline. Active global harvest pressure and steady farmer selling have weighed on prices. With favorable weather expected to persist through the remainder of the harvest season, fresh supplies are likely to keep flowing into the market in the near term.
  • The U.S. winter wheat harvest is now 86% complete, in line with the five-year average. Progress remains slowest in Montana and South Dakota, where harvest operations are trailing behind other key producing states.
  • Open interest in Chicago wheat jumped over 18,000 contracts Monday despite flat prices, signaling fresh positioning ahead of key supply updates.
  • Wheat export inspections for the week ending July 31 totaled 599,595 metric tons. Cumulative inspections for the marketing year to date have reached 3,911,270 metric tons, up 8.7% from the same period last year. This represents 16.9% of USDA’s 2025/26 export forecast, compared to the five-year average of 15.6% at this point in the season.

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Buy call options if September closes over 633.50 macro resistance.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Five sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 646.
    • Changes:

      • None. No new active sales targets to report yet.

2026 Crop:

  • CONTINUED OPPORTUNITY – Sell a second portion of your 2026 Chicago wheat crop
  • CONTINUED OPPORTUNITY – Buy July ‘26 550 Chicago wheat puts on a portion of your 2026 SRW crop for approximately 29 cents in premium, plus commission and fees.
  • Plan A:

    • Target 681 vs July ‘26 for the next sale.

  • Plan B:

    • Close below 588 support vs July ‘26 and buy put options (strikes TBD). – Hit 7/29.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: One sales recommendation made to date at 624.
    • Changes:

      • None.

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Buy call options if September closes over 653 macro resistance.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Five sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 618.
    • Changes:

      • None. No new active sales targets to report yet.

2026 Crop:

  • CONTINUED OPPORTUNITY – Buy July ‘26 540 KC wheat puts on a portion of your 2026 HRW crop for approximately 26 cents in premium, plus commission and fees.
  • Plan A:

    • Target 683 vs July ‘26 to make the first cash sale.

  • Plan B:

    • Close below 549 support vs July ‘26 to make the first cash sale.
    • Close below 584 support and buy July ‘26 put options (strikes TBD). – Hit 7/29.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Zero sales recommendations made so far to date.
    • Changes:

      • None. Heads up that the July ‘26 contract is nearing the 584 Plan B stop, which if hit, would prompt buying July ‘26 put options.

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

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

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Buy KC call options if September KC closes over 653 macro resistance (strikes TBD).

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Five sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 646.
    • Changes:

      • None. Still no new active sales targets to report yet.
      • FYI – KC options are used for better liquidity.

2026 Crop:

  • CONTINUED OPPORTUNITY – Buy July ‘26 540 KC wheat puts on a portion of your 2026 HRS crop for approximately 26 cents in premium, plus commission and fees.
  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Sell a second portion if September ‘26 closes below 639 support.
    • Close below 584 vs July ‘26 KC and buy July KC put options (strikes TBD).– Hit 7/29.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: One sales recommendation made to date, at a price of 678.75.

      • Changes:

        • None.
        • FYI – KC options are used for better liquidity.

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

Spring wheat condition percent good-excellent (red) versus the 5-year average (green) and last year (pink).

Other Charts / Weather

From ag-wx.com

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8-4 End of Day: Soybeans Find Footing, Corn Slips to New Lows Monday

All Prices as of 2:00 pm Central Time

Grain Market Highlights

  • 🌽 Corn: Corn futures pushed to new contract lows to start the week. Prices have now declined in 11 of the past 12 Monday sessions, pressured by favorable weather and the potential for a large harvest.
  • 🌱 Soybeans: Soybeans ended higher for the first time in seven sessions, with November finding technical support near $9.85. The rebound appeared chart-driven, as fundamental pressures from moderate weather and weak export demand persist.
  • 🌾 Wheat: Wheat futures ended the session mixed, supported by a weaker U.S. dollar and stronger Paris wheat futures, though gains were limited by generally favorable global weather and a lack of fresh bullish news.
  • To see updated U.S. weather maps 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

2025 Crop: 

  • Plan A:

    • Exit all 510 December calls @ 43-5/8 cents.
    • Exit half of the December 420 puts @ 43-3/4 cents.

  • Plan B: No active targets.
  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Seven sales recommendations have been made to date, with an average price of 461.25.
    • Changes:

      • None.

2026 Crop: 

  • Plan A:

    • Target 483 vs December ‘26 for the next sale.

  • Plan B: No active targets.
  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Four sales recommendations have been made to date, with an average price of 462.
    • Changes:

      • None.

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

  • Corn futures pushed to new contract lows to start the week, with December settling at $4.07. Prices have now declined in 11 of the past 12 Monday sessions, pressured by favorable weather and the potential for a large harvest.
  • Weekly export inspections totaled 1.208 MMT (47.5 mb), in line with expectations. Inspections remain 28% ahead of last year, but nearly 8.0 MMT in outstanding sales must be shipped before the August 30 marketing year end.
  • Brazil corn harvest made good progress over the week as weather improved. In the key center-southern regions of Brazil, harvest is 81% complete, up 13% from last week. This is still trending behind last year’s 95% complete levels as a slow start to harvest due to weather and the large production has limited the pace.
  • USDA crop ratings, due Monday afternoon, are expected to show corn rated 73% good/excellent, steady with last week. Ratings often decline this time of year as the crop matures.
  • Managed funds increased short positions in corn by 3,820 contracts last week, bringing the total net short to 181,185 contracts. Favorable U.S. weather and large crop expectations continue to drive bearish sentiment.

Corn Managed Money Funds net position as of Tuesday, July 29. Net position in Green versus price in Red. Money Managers net sold 3,820 contracts between July 22- July 29, bringing their total position to a net short 181,185 contracts.

Soybeans

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A:

    • Next cash sale at 1114 vs November.
    • Exit one-third of 1100 call options at 1085 vs November.
    • Exit remaining two-thirds of 1100 November call options at 88 cents.

  • Plan B:

    • No active targets.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Two sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 1040.25.
    • Changes:

      • None. No change to the 1114 upside target despite recent market weakness; a hot, dry August may be needed to reach it. While uncommon, sizeable August rallies have occurred before.

2026 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B: No active targets.
  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Zero sales recommendations made so far to date.
    • Changes:

      • None. Still waiting on first targets for 2026 to post.

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

  • Soybeans ended the day higher for the first time in seven days with the November contract seeming to find support at the $9.85 level. Today’s move felt more technical than anything as weather forecasts have stayed moderate and export demand remains weak. Soybean meal led the complex higher while soybean oil was mostly lower.
  • June U.S. soybean crush totaled 197.1 million bushels—up 7.4% from a year ago but down from May’s 203.7 mb. Robust crush activity has added to global soybean meal supplies, even as soybean oil demand remains firm.
  • China announced another purchase of soybean meal from Argentina. The purchase was for 30,000 MT of soybean meal, which is equivalent to approximately 1.4 mb of soybeans. Soybean meal is at a lower value given the large global supply due to increased global soybean crush.
  • Friday’s CFTC report saw funds as sellers of 25,445 contracts of soybeans which increased their net short position to 36,311 contracts. They bought 11,274 contracts of bean oil leaving them long 66,600 contracts and sold 3,615 contracts of meal leaving them short 133,358 contracts.

Soybean Managed Money Funds net position as of Tuesday, July 29. Net position in Green versus price in Red. Money Managers net sold 25,445 contracts between July 22 – July 29, bringing their total position to a net short 36,311 contracts.

Wheat

Market Notes: Wheat

  • Wheat finished the session with a mixed close. On the positive side, today’s lower U.S. Dollar Index and higher finish for Paris wheat futures were supportive. But pitted against mostly favorable global weather and a lack of fresh friendly news, wheat did not have much reason to move strongly in either direction today.
  •  Weekly U.S. wheat export inspections totaled 22 million bushels, lifting 2025/26 marketing year totals to 144 mb—up 9% from a year ago and running ahead of USDA’s projected pace of 850 mb.
  • The Ukrainian grain harvest has reached 15.5 mmt so far. This is 39% behind last year’s 25.3 mmt collected at this time. Of that total, wheat accounts for 11.4 mmt, compared to 19.4 mmt a year ago.
  • According to Friday’s Commitments of Traders report, managed funds added just over 13,000 contracts to their net short position in Chicago wheat. That is an increase of about 25.5% in only one week, bringing the total number of contracts to just over 65,000. Additionally, they added over 3,000 contracts to their net short in Kansas City wheat, now sitting over 47,000 contracts in total.
  • Heavy rainfall is forecast for the Canadian Prairies this week, likely benefiting wheat conditions in Alberta and Saskatchewan, though Manitoba may still face suboptimal soil moisture levels.

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Buy call options if September closes over 633.50 macro resistance.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Five sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 646.
    • Changes:

      • None. No active sales targets as still within the harvest window for SRW.

2026 Crop:

  • CONTINUED OPPORTUNITY – Sell a second portion of your 2026 Chicago wheat crop
  • CONTINUED OPPORTUNITY – Buy July ‘26 550 Chicago wheat puts on a portion of your 2026 SRW crop for approximately 29 cents in premium, plus commission and fees.
  • Plan A:

    • Target 681 vs July ‘26 for the next sale.

  • Plan B:

    • Close below 588 support vs July ‘26 and buy put options (strikes TBD). – Hit 7/29.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: One sales recommendation made to date at 624.
    • Changes:

      • None.

Chicago Wheat Managed Money Funds net position as of Tuesday, July 29. Net position in Green versus price in Red. Money Managers net sold 13,283 contracts between July 22 – July 29, bringing their total position to a net short 65,324 contracts.

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Buy call options if September closes over 653 macro resistance.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Five sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 618.
    • Changes:

      • None. With HRW harvest nearly complete, the window is opening for the next upside sales targets to post.

2026 Crop:

  • CONTINUED OPPORTUNITY – Buy July ‘26 540 KC wheat puts on a portion of your 2026 HRW crop for approximately 26 cents in premium, plus commission and fees.
  • Plan A:

    • Target 683 vs July ‘26 to make the first cash sale.

  • Plan B:

    • Close below 549 support vs July ‘26 to make the first cash sale.
    • Close below 584 support and buy July ‘26 put options (strikes TBD). – Hit 7/29.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Zero sales recommendations made so far to date.
    • Changes:

      • None. Heads up that the July ‘26 contract is nearing the 584 Plan B stop, which if hit, would prompt buying July ‘26 put options.

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

KC Wheat Managed Money Funds net position as of Tuesday, July 29. Net position in Green versus price in Red. Money Managers net sold 3,321 contracts between July 22– July 29, bringing their total position to a net short 47,280 contracts.

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Buy KC call options if September KC closes over 653 macro resistance (strikes TBD).

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Five sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 646.
    • Changes:

      • None.
      • FYI – KC options are used for better liquidity.

2026 Crop:

  • CONTINUED OPPORTUNITY – Buy July ‘26 540 KC wheat puts on a portion of your 2026 HRS crop for approximately 26 cents in premium, plus commission and fees.
  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Sell a second portion if September ‘26 closes below 639 support.
    • Close below 584 vs July ‘26 KC and buy July KC put options (strikes TBD).– Hit 7/29.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: One sales recommendation made to date, at a price of 678.75.

      • Changes:

        • None.
        • FYI – KC options are used for better liquidity.

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

Minneapolis Wheat Managed Money Funds net position as of Tuesday, July 29. Net position in Green versus price in Red. Money Managers net sold 6,433 contracts between July 22 – July 29, bringing their total position to a net short 17,721 contracts.

Other Charts / Weather

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8-1 End of Day: Ongoing Trade Concerns Weigh on Grains

All Prices as of 2:00 pm Central Time

Grain Market Highlights

  • 🌽 Corn: Corn ended the week lower, unable to gain momentum despite favorable demand news.
  • 🌱 Soybeans: Soybeans ended the day under pressure, weighed down by a bearish weather forecast and ongoing concerns over demand as tariff negotiations continue.
  • 🌾 Wheat: Wheat wrapped up the week with losses across all contracts, facing pressure from renewed tariff concerns and a weaker-than-expected U.S. jobs report.
  • To see updated U.S. weather maps 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

2025 Crop: 

  • Plan A:

    • Exit all 510 December calls @ 43-5/8 cents.
    • Exit half of the December 420 puts @ 43-3/4 cents.

  • Plan B: No active targets.
  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Seven sales recommendations have been made to date, with an average price of 461.25.
    • Changes:

      • None.

2026 Crop: 

  • Plan A: Target 483 vs December ‘26 for the next sale.
  • Plan B: No active targets.
  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Four sales recommendations have been made to date, with an average price of 462.
    • Changes:

      • None.

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

  • Selling pressure returned to the front end of the corn market to close out the week, with the September contract posting moderate losses and dragging down the broader grain complex. For the week, September corn fell 10 cents, while December corn declined 8 ¼ cents. Additional weakness in the wheat market contributed to the downward pressure, despite supportive demand news and a softer U.S. dollar index.
  • The USDA announced two flash export sales on Friday morning. Sales were announced for unknown destinations buying 125,000 MT (4.9 mb) and 227,160 MT (8.9 mb) of corn for the 2025-26 marketing year.
  • New crop corn export demand continues to provide underlying support, as U.S. corn remains highly competitive on the global market. With today’s announced flash sales, U.S. exporters have reported 13 separate sales of old and new crop corn since July 24. Current new crop export commitments rank as the third strongest for this time of year in the past decade.
  • The U.S. dollar was lower on the session after the market reacted to a disappointing Jobs report and the announcement of new tariffs. This could signal a lower trend for the U.S. dollar, which should help support corn prices.
  • The extended forecast remains mostly supportive of crop development through mid-August. Temperatures are expected to trend slightly above normal, while rainfall chances range from normal to above normal across much of the Corn Belt — conditions that should continue to aid crop progress.

Soybeans

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A:

    • Next cash sale at 1114 vs November.
    • Exit one-third of 1100 call options at 1085 vs November.
    • Exit remaining two-thirds of 1100 November call options at 88 cents.

  • Plan B:

    • No active targets.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Two sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 1040.25.
    • Changes:

      • None. No change to the 1114 upside target despite recent market weakness; a hot, dry August may be needed to reach it. While uncommon, sizeable August rallies have occurred before.

2026 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B: No active targets.
  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Zero sales recommendations made so far to date.
    • Changes:

      • None. Still waiting on first targets for 2026 to post.

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

  • Soybeans ended the day unchanged in the front months, while deferred contracts closed slightly higher. November futures took out the previous day’s low every day this week due to bearish weather forecasts and concerns over demand. Soybean meal recovered a portion of its losses while soybean oil followed crude oil lower.
  • Ongoing demand concerns are pressuring soybean prices, with current new crop export sales tracking at the weakest level in the past decade. Notably, China has been absent from new crop purchases — an unusual development, as buying typically begins in July.
  • China announced another purchase of soybean meal from Argentina. The purchase was for 30,000 MT of soybean meal, which is equivalent to approximately 1.4 mb of soybeans. Soybean meal is at a lower value given the large global supply due to increased global soybean crush.
  • For the week, August soybeans lost 37 cents and made a new contract low while November soybeans lost 31-3/4 cents to $9.89-1/4. August soybean meal only lost $0.30 to $267.60 while August soybean oil lost 1.77 to 54.72 cents and posted a bearish reversal.

Wheat

Market Notes: Wheat

  • U.S. wheat posted losses across the board, alongside a lower close for Paris milling wheat. Weakness in the U.S. wheat market was in part driven by the selloff in equities. The stock market fell today after new reciprocal tariffs went into effect, and the weaker than expected jobs report also did not help the situation.
  • According to the Buenos Aires Grain Exchange, wheat planting in Argentina is 98% complete and the crop is rated 61% good to excellent. This marks a 10% improvement from the previous report; at this time last year, the crop was only 31% rated GTE. Recent rains have boosted soil moisture levels and contributed to better overall crop conditions.
  • SovEcon has reduced their estimate of Ukrainian wheat production by 2.8 mmt to 19.8 mmt; the USDA is sitting at 22 mmt. The reason for the decline is said to be poor yield results so far – reportedly the average yields are the lowest since 2019. In addition, SovEcon decreased their estimate of Russian wheat production by 0.3 mmt to 83.3 mmt for similar reasons.
  • The French wheat harvest pace has accelerated due to dry weather. Now said to be 89% complete, this is well above the 63% collected at this time last year, and the average of 78%. And on a bearish note, the European Union as a whole is anticipating a wheat crop that is 17 mmt bigger than last year.

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Buy call options if September closes over 633.50 macro resistance.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Five sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 646.
    • Changes:

      • None. No active sales targets as still within the harvest window for SRW.

2026 Crop:

  • NEW ALERT – Sell a second portion of your 2026 Chicago wheat crop today.  The first sale recommendation that Grain Market Insider made for the 2026 crop was at 624. A second sale here today will bring the sales average price to approximately 600 vs July ‘26 futures.
  • CONTINUED OPPORTUNITY – Buy July ‘26 550 Chicago wheat puts on a portion of your 2026 SRW crop for approximately 29 cents in premium, plus commission and fees.
  • Plan A:

    • Target 681 vs July ‘26 for the next sale.

  • Plan B:

    • Close below 588 support vs July ‘26 and buy put options (strikes TBD). – Hit 7/29.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: One sales recommendation made to date, at 624.
    • Changes:

      • None.

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Buy call options if September closes over 653 macro resistance.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Five sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 618.
    • Changes:

      • None. With HRW harvest nearly complete, the window is opening for the next upside sales targets to post.

2026 Crop:

  • CONTINUED OPPORTUNITY – Buy July ‘26 540 KC wheat puts on a portion of your 2026 HRW crop for approximately 26 cents in premium, plus commission and fees.
  • Plan A:

    • Target 683 vs July ‘26 to make the first cash sale.

  • Plan B:

    • Close below 549 support vs July ‘26 to make the first cash sale.
    • Close below 584 support and buy July ‘26 put options (strikes TBD). – Hit 7/29.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Zero sales recommendations made so far to date.
    • Changes:

      • None. Heads up that the July ‘26 contract is nearing the 584 Plan B stop, which if hit, would prompt buying July ‘26 put options.

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

2025 Crop:

  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Buy KC call options if September KC closes over 653 macro resistance (strikes TBD).

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: Five sales recommendations made to date, with an average price of 646.
    • Changes:

      • None.
      • FYI – KC options are used for better liquidity.

2026 Crop:

  • CONTINUED OPPORTUNITY – Buy July ‘26 540 KC wheat puts on a portion of your 2026 HRS crop for approximately 26 cents in premium, plus commission and fees.
  • Plan A: No active targets.
  • Plan B:

    • Sell a second portion if September ‘26 closes below 639 support.
    • Close below 584 vs July ‘26 KC and buy July KC put options (strikes TBD).– Hit 7/29.

  • Details:

    • Sales Recs: One sales recommendation made to date, at a price of 678.75.

      • Changes:

        • None.
        • FYI – KC options are used for better liquidity.

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

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