Corn: March corn rose 8 cents to $6.82 3/4, the contract’s highest close since $6.86 3/4 on Nov. 4. Corn rose a third straight session behind spillover strength from soybeans and wheat and concern extended dryness in Argentina will damage crops.
Soybeans: March soybeans jumped 25 1/4 cents to $15.14 1/4, the contract’s highest close since $15.29 on June 17. March soymeal surged $13.50 to $461.30. March soyoil fell 142 points to 64.97 cents. Soybeans extended a post-holiday rally on strength in soymeal, dry weather in Argentina and ideas easing Covid restrictions in China will boost the country’s commodity demand.
Wheat: March SRW wheat rose 11 cents to $7.85 1/2, the contract’s highest close since Nov. 30. March HRW wheat rose 3 cents to $8.82 1/4, a four-week closing high. March spring wheat fell 1/4 cent to $9.34. Winter wheat hit four-week highs amid signs of improvement in global demand and concern over crop damage in the U.S. Plains from last week’s extreme cold.
Cotton: March cotton fell 98 points to 83.26 cents, the contract’s lowest close since Dec. 16. Cotton fell near a two-week low as bullish momentum from last week’s gains faded amid weakness in crude oil and U.S. equities and strength in the U.S. dollar.
Cattle: February live cattle fell 7.5 cents $157.80. March feeder cattle rose 60 cents to $186.00. Strength in wholesale beef and expectations for continued firmness in cash cattle continued to support futures. Wholesale beef’s rally pulled back slightly, with Choice cutout values down 63 to $279.41, but still near the 10-month high posted Tuesday. Movement totaled 102 loads.
Hogs: February lean hogs fell 67.5 cents to $90.80. Hog futures took mild profit-taking pressure following Tuesday’s rally to three-week highs. Weakness in the cash market continued to limit buying interest. The CME lean hog index fell 13 cents to $78.60, the lowest since late January. Pork cutout values fell $2.25 to $88.67, led by a decline of nearly $10 in bellies. But movement was strong at 341 loads.