Zach Abramson

Fund Liquidation Changes the Story, But Has It Changed the Outlook? One of the most frustrating market environments for producers is when prices move sharply before the underlying fundamentals have had a chance to develop. That's exactly where agriculture finds itself today. Over the past several weeks, grain markets have experienced a rapid decline driven largely by fund liquidation. The speed of the move has caught many participants off guard, especially considering the calendar....

Grain Markets Enter the Most Volatile Stretch of the Summer After two years of near-perfect growing conditions across much of the Corn Belt, the market is finally starting to pay attention to weather again. Hotter temperatures are building across western areas, excessive moisture remains an issue in parts of the east, and forecasts are suddenly carrying more uncertainty than producers have seen in recent summers. At the same time, energy markets remain elevated and geopolitical tensions...

The latest round of market headlines delivered what traders had been waiting for: clarity on China demand. The problem is the market did not like the answer. Soybeans sold off sharply following the latest meeting, dragging corn and wheat lower as disappointment replaced speculation. But while the immediate reaction looked bearish, the bigger story is far from settled.