Financial
Dow off 43, S&P 7 and Nasdaq 8, all markets acting tired
Weak jobless claims and housing weigh on values
Various Fed comments, but not game changing
WTI crude oil off $ .17 to $94.22
Gold down $10 most of the day
Dollar 23 lower also all day
DAX index steady at its close
The tangled webs of brewing scandals undermine values
Livestock
Some $125 trade in cash cattle
Boxed beef at $208 high
June cattle closed below support at $120, $119.90 makes for an interesting day Friday
COF is old news when it comes out and this month lower total numbers and higher placements are expected
June hogs get back to recent high and close at $93.05, high $93.47
Pork cutout firm
Meat exports light
Grain and soybeans
Corn and wheat lower throughout, while beans were consistently higher
Grains off 6-9 cents and July beans up 15 with November 8 better
Great plantings window
Iowa may be 70% done Sunday
1-2” rains along I 70 corridor over weekend
Temperatures ideal
Farm debt threatens land values
Brazilian ports back to work
Soybeans export sales larger than normal for this time of year, boosts tight old crop
NOPA crush was down 9%
Kansas moisture unchanged, while European wheat condition looks good
Financial markets bare watching, as the balloon may be fully inflated
12:11 update
Split decision in meats as June cattle dip under $120 by a nickel and June hogs up $1.20 at $93.12 versus a recent high at $93.45
July soybean up 14 at $14.26
July corn off 8 at $6.48
July wheat down 10 at $6.86
11:27 update
Stocks continue to languish
Palm oil up after three down days
July soy oil $ 48.54 with resistance at $50 and support $48.75
July soybeans $14.23 with resistance at $14.30-45
Grains off about 8 in lead contracts
Corn plantings guessed at 95-96 million acres
10:33 update
Corn 6-8 cents lower with Dec at $5.26—support at $5.20
Nov beans quietly mid range
July wheat support at $6.80 and last $6.87
Meats a bit better
Stocks narrowly mixed
AM Comments
Financial
Stocks look to be quiet
DAX up .4% and FTSE .3% higher
A number of Fed speakers with opinions likely mixed which connotes debate
Administration reacting not leading and Mid East is a mess
France loosing faith in EU, for good reason
Jobless claims at six week high at 330,000
Housing starts expected a bit less than last month
Consumer prices projected at – .3%
Gas stockpiles at 14 year high
WTI crude oil off $ .19 at $94.11
Gold continues fall at $1385 off $18
Dollar index 83.64 down 15 after touching resistance at 84.10 Wednesday
Nikkei and Australian stocks down on commodity prices
Livestock
Boxed beef hits another new high at $208 up from high $180’s
Cash $124b and $126-128 a
Margins plus $150
Spring beef rally as poultry rises 30% and pork has been strong
Export light, 4700 tons of beef and 7200 of pork
Weekly slaughter unchanged
Hogs up $1.24
Pork cutout $1.02 higher with loins $1.68, hams $1.33 and bellies $2.74
June hogs failed above $93 resistance
COF lower total and higher placements
Grain and soybeans
Iowa may be 70% planted by Sunday
1-2” rains along I-70 into weekend
NOPA crush off 9%
Two days strike ends at Brazilian ports
Dollar index has backed off 84.10 high
Light fund selling of grains Wednesday
Export sales: wheat 125,000 tons and 415,000 of new crop, corn 210,000 and 299,000 and soybeans 15,000 and 346,000 with 275,000 to China—all light
Over night hardly changed
24 hour planting and much improved seeds abs supplements make a big corn crop still possible