Top 5 Things to Watch

Commodity Classic Hits Orlando, March WASDE is Out

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

1. WASDE -- The March Madness of crop predictions -- begins: Wednesday brings the latest World Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report from USDA. We'll have initial numbers in our Flash story just after 11 a.m. CST, followed by updates and analysis through the following half hour. Our analysts are especially watching for bearish higher U.S. ending corn stocks estimates, driven by lower exports and South American production estimates. As always, DTN Lead Analyst Todd Hultman will have an online discussion of the report at 12:30 p.m. CST. To register go here: https://www.dtn.com/…

2. No Mickey Mouse reports: Four major commodity groups gather in Orlando, Florida this week for the Commodity Classic, and we'll be there. Watch for fresh reporting on policy issues, award winners and new crop chemicals and machinery. If you're in town, please visit us at the DTN booth to see the latest in our information and decision-making products. Stop by at 11:30 a.m. EST on Thursday we'll hold a panel discussion with leaders from CHS and DTN. Saturday morning (8:30 a.m. EST) DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick will present the latest spring and summer forecasts. Hope to see you.

3. No rest for wicked weather: Speaking of Baranick, his favorite word lately is "active." System after system keeps coming ashore on the West Coast and pushing through the central U.S., creating rain, snow and high winds in the process. Each wave pulls down colder air, though "cold" becomes a relative term the deeper we get into March. Expect those active systems to continue through this week and into the next. We've gone from looking at empty riverbanks to now watching for flooding in a number of areas. Stay tuned by checking the Ag Weather Forum blog.

4. Fertilizers and fertility: DTN Staff Reporter Russ Quinn continues his weekly update of fertilizer prices this week. DTN subscribers can view all our fertilizer information in our Markets sections. Quinn will also recap diesel and fertilizer price conversations from our recent Ag Summit Series session held Feb. 28. Watch for those stories throughout the week.

5. Other key reports coming: In addition to WASDE, this week has a number of key reports coming out that traders will watch closely. Monday is USDA's weekly grain export inspections; Tuesday sees the U.S. wholesale trade report from January; Wednesday we'll get the latest DOE energy inventory numbers and January U.S. trade deficit report; Thursday sees USDA weekly export sales and the U.S. jobless claims numbers and markets and we finish the week taking in the latest U.S. nonfarm payrolls and unemployment reports.