Top 5 Things to Watch

By DTN Staff

OMAHA (DTN) -- Here are the Top 5 things the DTN Newsroom is tracking for the week of May 17. Watch for coverage of these and other topics throughout the week on our subscription platforms as well as on www.DTNPF.com.

Note that all report release times are Central Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.

1. Real summit ramifications: Markets will continue to watch for any real trade implications from the U.S.-China summit. Markets so far have drooped with disappointment, as comments from the U.S. side tout another round of export promises while providing scant details.

2. Fuel and fertilizer prices: It's a bit of broken record, but we continue to watch fertilizer and fuel supplies, and the resulting world prices, as the war-created shutdown of the Gulf of Hormuz continues to cut into supplies. Dow Jones last week noted many nations' oil reserves are running seriously low, with the real ramifications of the Iran-Israel-U.S. conflict coming by July, just as mid-summer travel season in the U.S. gets rolling.

3. May cools down: Another round of rainfall across the Midwest will be followed by cooler, even cold, conditions this week. Some models even show the chance of snow showers on the Front Range of the Rockies, though DTN meteorologists forecast just cold rains. Rain is expected to change to snow for some in the northern Canadian Prairies. We'll be watching for changes in the U.S. Drought Monitor as precipitation improves conditions in some dry areas.

4. Drought lingers: While many areas of the country have received timely rains, helping crop emergence and reviving some pastures, there are still vast swaths that remain very dry. The southeastern and southwestern corners are particularly parched, as farmers and ranchers deal with the results of long-term soil moisture shortages.

5. Reports due this week: Monday at 10 a.m., Grain Inspections. At 3 p.m., USDA's NASS Crop Progress report including DTN analysis of conditions. It is also the Victoria Day holiday in Canada. Tuesday at 7:30 a.m., New Residential Construction. At 9 a.m., Pending Home Sales. At 2 p.m., Chickens and Eggs report. Wednesday at 9:30 a.m., EIA Weekly Petroleum report including ethanol production and stocks. At 1 p.m., Minutes of Fed's latest FOMC meeting. At 2 p.m., Broiler Hatchery data. Thursday at 7:30 a.m., Grain Export Sales, Initial Jobless Claims, Housing Starts and Building Permits. At 8:45 a.m., S&P Flash Services P.M.I and S&P Flash Manufacturing P.M.I. At 10:30 a.m. the Weekly Economic Index. At 2 p.m., Livestock Slaughter and Slaughter Weekly. Friday at 9 a.m., Consumer Sentiment and U.S. Leading Economic Indicators. At 2 p.m., Agricultural Prices and Egg Products. At 2:30 p.m., CFTC's Commitment of Traders (COT) report.

You can find DTN Field Posts podcasts at https://dtn.link/…, or https://www.dtnpf.com/… and they're also available on podcast hosting sites such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Watch for the latest news at www.dtnpf.com, and follow and like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/dtnprogressivefarmer. You can find our news on Instagram as well. Give us a follow @dtn.agnews

(c) Copyright 2026 DTN, LLC. All rights reserved.