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 March 29. 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. Prospective Plantings and Grain Stocks Reports: The guessing game on 2026 summer commodity crops begins with the USDA Prospective Plantings and Grain Stocks reports, which hit at 11 a.m. CDT Tuesday. We'll have flash reports up on DTN digital sites and platforms moments after, with updates throughout the morning. We'll also have our follow-up webinar, featuring the insights of DTN Lead Analyst Rhett Montgomery at 12:30 p.m. To register, go here: https://ag.dtn.com/…

2. Shortened market week: Markets will be closed for Good Friday, and DTN news offices will be closed. Our market coverage resumes Monday morning, April 6.

3. Weather pattern shift: The weekend's colder air will be very brief as temperatures pop right back up. The weather pattern gets more active this week. That will increase potential for strong thunderstorms and heavy rain in some areas, but conditions continue to look dry in west and southwest, where drought is growing. The Northern Plains have potential for some rain, possibly snow. In the Central and Southern Plains areas, forecasts are more hit-and-miss. Rain potential increases for the Delta as we move into April. (For more, see https://www.dtnpf.com/…)

4. Farm safety: We write a lot about farm safety here at DTN and Progressive Farmer. Our philosophy is it's a subject we can't cover enough. As planters and other equipment hit the road, it's time to be extra careful out there. This is also a time where we're moving grain to town while also trying to get spring fieldwork done. That multitasking is ripe with the potential for disasters. This week marks the kickoff of Stand Up 4 Grain Safety Week, and we'll be cover a safety event at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. You can find out more info here: https://standup4grainsafety.org/…

5. Reports due this Week: Monday at 9:30 a.m., Fed Chairman Jerome Powell will speak. At 10 a.m., Grain Inspections, then we'll see Agricultural Prices data at 2 p.m. On Tuesday at 7:15 a.m., ADP Employment report, followed at 8 a.m. by the Case-Shiller Home Price Index and the 8:45 a.m. release of Chicago Business Barometer P.M.I and the S&P Final U.S. Manufacturing P.M.I. At 9 a.m., the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) report and Consumer Confidence data are released, as is ISM Manufacturing numbers. At 11 a.m., USDA Grain Stocks and Prospective Planting reports, see details above. Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. the U.S. Retail Sales data for February. At 8:45 a.m., S&P Final Manufacturing P.M.I. At 9 a.m., Business Inventories and Construction Spending. At 9:30 a.m., EIA's Weekly Petroleum report, including Ethanol production and stocks. At 11 a.m., USDA State Stories data. At 2 p.m., Broiler Hatchery, Fats and Oils and Grain Crushings reports. Thursday at 7:30 a.m. we'll see Grain Export Sales, Initial Jobless Claims and U.S. Trade Deficit for February. At 10:30 a.m. the Weekly Economic Index. At 2 p.m., Dairy Products and Slaughter Weekly. Friday is Good Friday, so commodity and equity markets are closed. At 7:30 a.m., U.S. Employment report and Unemployment Rate, and Hourly Wages. At 8:45 a.m., S&P Final U.S. Services P.M.I. At 2:30 p.m., CFTC Commitment of Traders report.

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