Canada Markets

Love them or hate them, participants other than those directly involved with a commodity use futures markets for various purposes. In the coming months, commodity index traders could be the best hope there is for higher grain and oilseed prices.

With the canola market's failure to attract acres going into seeding, canola stocks should remain uncomfortably tight for another year.

The soybean market has shown very few signs of concern recently but given how little room there is for production shortfalls, Monday's acreage update should take on added importance.

Bullish fundamental and technical factors have driven canola prices sharply higher from their March lows. Charts show there should be room to run yet before hitting significant resistance.

With monthly corn imports into Western Canada declining to levels not seen in years, it is becoming clear that they will not be offsetting barley demand anytime soon.

With all three U.S. wheat markets displaying bottom formations, other spring wheat areas being lost to corn at a greater rate than expected this year, and drought conditions impacting spring wheat areas on both sides of the U.S. border, the Minneapolis wheat premium to Chicago...

With strong exports and tight domestic stocks despite increased production, the recent market disappointment about a lack of concrete progress on biofuel support should not be mistaken for an end to potential gains.

Feeder cattle's dramatic rise to record highs is certainly cause for celebration in the short term -- and anxiety for long-term planning.

Record low U.S. oat ending stocks and close to that in Canada for both old and new crop are sure to keep markets on edge and very sensitive to weather risks in the coming months.

If AAFC is wrong on its assumption that Statistics Canada past production estimates are incorrect for canola, then carryover could fall to unreasonably low levels given a negative Feed, Waste and Dockage total is not acceptable.

The soybean market is sure to see increased weather-related volatility in the year ahead following a much-lower-than-expected new-crop ending-stocks estimate.

Funds continue to aggressively sell old-crop corn (regardless of bullish fundamentals for it) as if that corn were facing the more bearish new-crop fundamentals.

With no revision higher to past production estimates, canola stocks remain uncomfortably tight.

China clearly used the tariffs that it had imposed on canola oil and meal imports as a trade advantage, completely dominating the canola seed export market in March.

With other spring wheat area being lost to corn at a greater rate than expected this year, the Minneapolis wheat premium to Chicago is poised to gain.

The Canadian dollar appears to have left a multi-decade low behind in February with a sharp rally off support. Long loonie risk management should now be a concern.

With yet another contract low set in Kansas City wheat and close to it in Chicago, the wheat/corn spread may be the best hope for a rally.

Various funds rushed back into the corn market with the underlying corn fundamentals of exceptional demand not changed, resulting in a $0.49/bushel rally in two weeks.

The canola market is finally acknowledging the tight supply situation that has been months in the making. At least it's early enough to encourage seeded area but is it too late to ration demand?

Starting April 13, the CBOT launched a new hard red spring wheat contract which will trade alongside the Minneapolis MIAX spring wheat contract.