CANBERRA: Chicago wheat futures inched higher on Tuesday after data showed that the U.S. winter wheat crop was off to its second worst start since 1986 and traders braced for the outcome of the U.S. presidential election.
Corn and soybean futures traded flat amid improved U.S. export demand.
FUNDAMENTALS
* The most-active wheat contract on the Chicago Board of Trade was up 0.1% at $5.69-1/4 a bushel at 0112 GMT, while CBOT soybeans rose 0.1% to $9.98-1/4 a bushel and corn slipped 0.1% to $4.16-1/4 a bushel.
* All three contracts hit four-year lows in recent months but have regained some ground on supply threats.
* Traders are awaiting the outcome of the U.S. presidential election amid concerns that Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs could disrupt agricultural trade if enacted.
* A weekly U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report showed that 41% of the recently seeded U.S. wheat crop was in good-to-excellent condition as of Sunday, the second lowest percentage since records began in 1986.
* Dry conditions made for difficult planting conditions in the United States and threatened crops in Australia, Argentina and the Black Sea region.
* However, rains eased concerns in the U.S. cropping zones and significant rainfall has benefited wheat crops in the southern parts of Argentina’s agricultural area, the Rosario Grains Exchange (BCR) said.
* GASC, Egypt’s state grains buyer, is believed to have bought 290,000 metric tons of wheat in an international tender, with plentiful offers of Black Sea supply underscoring export competition and weighing on Euronext wheat prices, traders said.
* In the flurry of recent sales, U.S. exporters struck deals to sell 150,000 metric tons of U.S. corn to Mexico and 120,000 tons of corn and 132,000 tons of soybeans to unknown buyers, the USDA reported on Monday.
* Low crop prices boosted exports as massive U.S. harvests increased supplies. Those harvests are now winding down.
* Traders are awaiting a monthly report on Friday from the USDA with crop supply and demand and stockpiles estimates.
MARKETS NEWS
* The dollar softened and stocks fell on Monday as investors treaded carefully hours before the U.S. presidential election, with a U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate cut also expected later in the week. (Reporting by Peter Hobson; Editing by Sumana Nandy)
