Grains extended their gains in the overnight session with front-month March wheat futures climbing above $6 a bushel but hitting resistance at $6.10. Corn and soybeans were also up posting 5 cent advances at the end of the night trade.
On Thursday, Egypt’s GASC announced the results of their wheat tender with Russia garnering most of the business. Prices came in around $252 per MT and were $30 lower than the only US SRTW wheat offer. Nonetheless, US interior values continue to be robust. Millers in Illinois continue to bid aggressively for wheat with basis levels for spot delivery about 50 cents a bushel higher than normal for this time of year.
For soybeans, the market continues to be buoyed by strong export demand. Current export commitments for US soybeans have eclipsed 40 MMT while USDA has pegged total exports for the year to reach 47.9 MMT. Traders also look for a large crush estimate in Monday’s monthly NOPA release, which is expected to show a record high of 165.4 MB for November.
In corn, export business was on par with expectations last week, but overall commitments year-to-date are on par with the pace needed to reach USDA’s annual forecast. Ukraine is said to be having problems meeting corn contracts signed with China in. Private feed mills in China signed contracts in October to 1.1 MMT but the Ukraine supplier is unlikely to be able to ship all of the contracted volume before the February deadline.
