Grains Report - Fri, March 20

Photo by Avinash Kumar on Unsplash

WHEAT
General Comments: Wheat closed a little higher in Chicago and in KC yesterday in response to the weather and war in Iran. Middle eastern countries are big buyers of world Wheat and many have been bombed by Iran now. Conditions are too dry in much of the US Great Plains and too wet in the US Midwest and in western Europe for best production and quality potential. Recent storm systems in the Great Plains could bring relief to crops produced there. The weather is now featuring precipitation is forecast for parts of the Great Plains and Midwest along with variable temperatures.
Chart Analysis: Trends in Chicago are mixed to up. Support is at 583, 564, and 558 May, with resistance at 642, 648, and 665 May. Trends in Kansas City are mixed to up. Support is at 595, 580, and 567 May, with resistance at 657, 660, and 666 May. Trends in Minneapolis are not available.

RICE
General Comments: Rice closed a little lower in range trading yesterday. Trends are still up after a big war related rally with the war with Iran and the political problems with China not having much effect on prices. Traders anticipate less production this year in the US and around the world due to low prices. Asian Rice prices are higher due to war concerns. Trends are mixed as demand remains moderate for US Rice.
Chart Analysis: Trends are mixed. Support is at 1105, 1093, and 1063 May and resistance is at 1152, 1164, and 1176 May.

CORN AND OATS
General Comments: Corn was higher again yesterday on more news that Iran had laid mines in the straits of Hormuz and that meeting with China and the US had been postponed at the US request. Shipping has been halted at Hormuz and some ships have been blown up. The Trump administration does not seem to have plans for the war moving forward. The war expanded yesterday when Iran bombed infrastructure in Gulf states Wire reports note that US Corn cash markets had been struggling to follow futures markets higher due to excessive supplies and the weekly export inspections report showed demand was in line with expectations. There are still excessive supplies as seen in the recent USDA reports after prices were trending higher on strong demand. Temperatures in the Midwest should variable for the next week. Conditions are called good in Argentina and big production is expected there. Oats were lower and trends are mixed on the daily and weekly charts.
Chart Analysis: Trends in Corn are mixed. Support is at 444, 441, and 437 May, and resistance is at 477, 480, and 483 May. Trends in Oats are mixed. Support is at 314, 307, and 301 May, and resistance is at 380, 383, and 386 May

SOYBEANS
General Comments: Soybeans and Soybean Meal were higher yesterday on news that the administration has invited farmers and refiners to the White House for what is expected to be a bio fuels blending requirement announcement, Soybean Oil was lower. The US-China summit has been postponed at the request of the US and because od the war. There was more news that Iran has laid mines in the straits of Hormuz and it bombed oil infrastructure in Gulf states. Shipping has been halted. The US government apparently has no idea on how to manage risks in the Hormuz or how to end the war. Big South American crops are being harvested and ideas are that Chinese buying could be interrupted due to Iran war. China has imposed new phyto controls on Brazil Soybeans to cu=t the flow of imports to the country. South American sources said that the Brazil crops are now more than 50% harvested. The tariff wars between the US and other countries add to cost of US Soybeans. Temperatures will be variable in the Midwest this week.
Analysis: Trends in Soybeans are down. Support is at 1144 1137, and 1127 May, and resistance is at 1216, 1234, and 1239 May. Trends in Soybean Meal are up. Support is at 307.00, 304.00, and 301.00 May, and resistance is at 328.00, 330.00,and 339.00 May. Trends in Soybean Oil are up. Support is at 5970, 5850, and 5800 May, with resistance at 6720, 6780, and 6840 May.

PALM OIL AND CANOLA
General Comments: Palm Oil futures was closed today. Demand ideas are in a state of flux right now due to the war. Canola was higher yesterday along with the price action in Chicago and on hopes for new Chinese demand from the Carney-Xi meetings and news that the US will release new bio fuels blending requirements soon. The selling seen also came ideas of big crops in South America.
Chart Analysis: Trends in Canola are mixed to up. Support is at 682.00, 673.00, and 667.00 May, with resistance at 758.00, 764.00, and 770.00 May. Trends in Palm Oil are up. Support is at 4510, 4370, and 4310 May, with resistance at 4680, 4800, and 4860 May.