DTN's Quick Takes

By DTN Analysts

Grains

OMAHA (DTN) -- Posted 12:50 -- May corn is up 5 1/4 cents per bushel, May soybeans are up 9 3/4 cents, May KC wheat is up 21 1/4 cents, May Chicago wheat is up 21 1/2 cents and MIAX May Minneapolis wheat is up 15 1/2 cents. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is down 651.16 points. The U.S. Dollar Index is down 0.150 and April crude oil is up $1.68 per barrel. April gold is up $64.40 per ounce. Heading into the Friday close, wheat markets are soaring as presumably funds have decided to cover the remainder of their short position. The wetter forecast for the Plains next week is having little impact as geopolitical concerns dominate. Corn has been firm all day and soybeans have recovered from midsession weakness.

Posted 10:30 -- May corn is up 2 1/2 cents per bushel, May soybeans are down 1 1/4 cents, May KC wheat is up 13 1/2 cents, May Chicago wheat is up 14 1/4 cents and MIAX May Minneapolis wheat is up 10 1/4 cents. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is down 489.22 points. The U.S. Dollar Index is down 0.170 and April crude oil is up $1.37 per barrel. April gold is up $61.20 per ounce. At midmorning, soybeans and soy products have sold off from early gains to trade lower as the markets had become overbought. Wheat is still sharply higher and corn is higher for the third straight day. There is little other news.

Posted 08:31 -- May corn is up 4 cents per bushel, May soybeans are up 5 cents, May KC wheat is up 15 3/4 cents, May Chicago wheat is up 14 3/4 cents and MIAX May Minneapolis wheat is up 6 1/2 cents. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is down 514.87 points. The U.S. Dollar Index is down 0.060 and April crude oil is up $2.13 per barrel. April gold is up $50.00 per ounce. USDA: private exporters reported sales of 257,000 mt (10.1 million bushels) of corn to unknown destinations for 2025/2026. Corn, soybeans and wheat are all higher early Friday with wheat leading the way up. Geopolitics are front and center with no breakthrough in meetings with Iran and Russia keeping up the assault on Ukraine infrastructure.

Livestock

Posted 11:29 -- April live cattle are down $4.18 at $232.725, April feeder cattle are down $7.48 at $351.275, April lean hogs are up $0.25 at $95.975, May corn is up 4 1/4 cents per bushel and May soybean meal is down $1.10. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is down 735.38 points. A light trade is developing in parts of Kansas at $244, $5 lower than last week's weighted averages. While a few more bids are on the table in other parts of cattle feeding country, they are being passed at this time. Beef cutouts are higher at midday (choice 378.97 +1.08, select 374.23 +3.44) with light to moderate box movement (39 lds of choice cuts, 02 lds of select cuts, 00 lds of trim, and 07 lds of ground), with a choice/select spread of 4.74. Today's projected cattle slaughter is 92,000, and Saturday's projection is 3,000 head. Pork cutouts at midday are 98.37, +0.99, with 178.30 total loads. Today's project hog slaughter is 475,000, and Saturday's projection is 123,000 head.

Posted 08:36 -- April live cattle are down $0.48 at $236.425, April feeder cattle are down $1.23 at $357.525, April lean hogs are up $0.50 at $96.225, May corn is up 4 cents per bushel and May soybean meal is down $0.10. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is down 468.01 points. A light trade took place in parts of the North yesterday with most dressed deals marked at $383, $5 lower than last week's weighted average. A handful of deals were reported in Kansas at $243, but not enough to establish an accurate trend for the week. So far this morning, no bids or asking prices have been renewed. The CME Feeder Index for Feb. 25, 2026, was $1.62 lower at $373.17, the projected CME Lean Hog Index for Feb. 25, 2026, was up $0.41, at $89.12.

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