Latest News

GRAINS-Soy, corn futures rally on deal purchasing, geopolitical tensions

U.S. corn and soybean costs rose on Friday as increased geopolitical stress stimulated a round of deal purchasing after the benchmark agreements in both markets fell to their least expensive in more than 6 weeks, traders said.

Corn futures drew extra assistance from news that the U.S. Epa will temporarily

broaden sales

of higher-ethanol blends of fuel this summer.

As of 12:43 p.m. CDT (1743 GMT), Chicago Board of Trade July corn was up 6-3/4 cents at $4.43 per bushel. July soybeans were up 17-1/4 cents at $11.66-1/ 4 a bushel, rallying after a dip to $11.45-3/ 4, the agreement's least expensive given that Feb. 29. CBOT July wheat was up 12-1/4 cents at $5.65-1/ 4. a bushel.

Experts said traders were squaring positions ahead of. the weekend and after recent declines. For the week, July corn. was on track to fall 1.1%, while July soybeans. were down 1.8% and July wheat was down 0.9%.

Soybean futures were anchored in part by materials of. cooking oil entering into the United States from overseas and. depressing the soyoil market, stated Don Roose, president of. Iowa-based U.S. Commodities. CBOT July soyoil futures. strike a contract low in early moves before bouncing.

Corn firmed following an

announcement

by the EPA that it would broaden the summer season sales duration. for higher-ethanol blends of gasoline in an effort to minimize. prospective supply disturbances amidst continuous conflicts in Ukraine. and the Middle East.

The relocation is not going to trigger a big increase in. ethanol demand. Rather, it will prevent a seasonal dip in need. Its market effect is more mental, StoneX chief. commodities economic expert Arlan Suderman wrote in a client note.

Reports of Israeli missile strikes in Iran over night. sustained worries of an intensifying dispute in the Middle East, and. pushed wheat rates up 4% after the first reports of the strike. emerged. Traders had feared that broadening violence in the. region might impact shipments in the area and from Russia, the. world's greatest wheat exporter and an ally of Iran.

Tehran played down the incident and showed it had no. plans for retaliation.

Crude oil rates likewise pared their gains after having. surged amidst concerns that Middle East oil supply could be. disrupted.

(source: Reuters)