Floor Talk December 14

[marketeye]

At the close:

At the close, the March corn futures settled 3 3/4 cents higher at $3.79. January soybean futures finished 3 1/2 cents higher at $8.74 1/4. 
March wheat futures ended 3 cents higher at $4.93 1/2. 
Jan. soymeal futures closed $1.80 per short ton higher at $275.50. Jan. soyoil futures finished $0.24 lower at $31.12.  
In the outside markets, the Brent Crude oil market is $0.76 higher per barrel, the U.S. dollar is lower, and the Dow Jones Industrials are 22 points higher.

Mike

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At mid-session:

At mid-session, the March corn futures are trading 2 3/4 cents higher at $3.78. January soybean futures are trading 2 1/2 cents higher at $8.73. 
March wheat futures are trading 4 1/2 cents higher at $4.95. 
Jan. soymeal futures are $1.40 per short ton higher at $275.10. Jan. soyoil futures are trading $0.15 lower at $31.21.  
In the outside markets, the Brent Crude oil market is $0.18 higher per barrel, the U.S. dollar is lower, and the Dow Jones Industrials are 8 points lower.

These are light volume markets, with many speculative participants moving to the side lines waiting for Fed move on interest rates, according to a CME Group grain trader choosing anonymity. Also, Congress legislation is due out any day now on tax extender package. That tax package may or may not promote more aggressive bio fuel buying, the trader says.
 
“Some of the broad index players will key off the US dollar. A rally post-rate hike, in the dollar, would move index's back into selling. Meanwhile, US farmers are holding tight to old crop grain supplies seen mostly in firm corn basis. And, the Dec corn futures contract is rallying into the last day of trade,  all supporting market, he says. “The other thing is the market is generally speculative short, from older logic… So, it’s hard for the markets to go down. Most bearish news has been discounted.”

Mike

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At the open:

At the open, the March corn futures are trading 3/4 of a cent higher at $3.76. January soybean futures are trading 1 cent higher at $8.71. 
March wheat futures are trading 1 1/2 cents higher at $4.92. 
Jan. soymeal futures are $1.70 per short ton higher at $275.40. Jan. soyoil futures are trading $0.29 lower at $31.07.  
In the outside markets, the Brent Crude oil market is $0.62 lower per barrel, the U.S. dollar is higher, and the Dow Jones Industrials are 34 points lower.

Mike

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At 7:50am:

Early calls: Corn 1-2 cents higher, soybeans 1-2 cents higher and wheat 1-2 cents lower.

Trackers:
Overnight grain, soybean markets = Trading mostly higher.
Brent Crude Oil = $1.42 lower.
Dollar =Higher.  
Wall Street = Seen higher, with the Fed rate decision and oil in focus.

World Markets = Europe stocks were lower, Asia/Pacific stocks were lower.

More in a minute,

Mike