CANBERRA: Chicago soybean futures on Thursday sat at their lowest since September 2020, pinned down by a strong dollar, a slide in soyoil prices and expectations of massive production early next year in top exporter Brazil.
Soybeans edge higher, but Brazilian crop outlook caps gains
Corn and wheat futures eased, tracking the fall in soybeans.
Fundamentals
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The most-active soybean contract on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) slid 0.2% to $9.50 a bushel at 0131 GMT, matching last session’s low. Prices fell 2.6% on Wednesday.
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CBOT corn slipped 0.1% to $4.36-3/4 a bushel and wheat fell 0.5% to $5.38-1/2 a bushel. Both contracts are moving towards four-year lows reached earlier this year, though corn has further to go than wheat.
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The US dollar shot to its strongest since November 2022 against a basket of currencies after the Federal Reserve on Wednesday signalled a slower pace of rate cuts in 2025.
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A stronger dollar makes greenback-priced US crops less competitive in global markets, pressuring CBOT prices.
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Production expectations in Brazil have risen following regular rainfall. This week AgRural predicted a record 2024-25 crop of 171.5 million metric tons and another consultancy, Patria Agronegocios, forecast a 170.41 million ton harvest.
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The Brazilian real weakened by around 30% against the dollar this year, helping Brazil’s exporters undercut US rivals.
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CBOT soyoil futures plunged this week after news on Tuesday said a stopgap US government funding bill did not include support for biodiesel among other agriculture-related policies and spending.
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“Edible oil prices and meal prices are both falling, with soybean prices following, providing a drag on corn and wheat prices that are trying to hold areas of chart support,” StoneX analyst Arlan Suderman said.
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