By: NATHAN STUEDLE
GRAIN MARKET SUMMARY
Grain futures finished mixed Tuesday, with soybeans recovering part of Monday’s sharp losses while corn remained slightly lower and wheat was mixed.
Corn futures ended about 1 to 2 cents lower. The market spent much of the session near unchanged as traders balanced ongoing harvest pressure against positioning ahead of USDA’s quarterly Grain Stocks report.
Soybeans were the strongest part of the complex, finishing roughly 9 to 10 cents higher. The rebound followed Monday’s 30-cent-plus break, with traders viewing the selloff as overdone while continuing to watch China for signs of additional U.S. soybean purchases. Soybeans remain excluded from the latest round of Chinese tariff reductions, keeping trade headlines firmly in focus.
Wheat futures finished mixed, ranging from about 2¾ cents lower to roughly 4 cents higher depending on the contract. Wheat remains technically weak overall, but Tuesday’s action was considerably more stable following Monday’s sharp decline.
Overall, Tuesday was a consolidation session, with soybeans bouncing, corn holding near unchanged and wheat struggling to establish a clear direction.
LIVESTOCK MARKET SUMMARY
Livestock futures were mixed Tuesday, with feeder cattle posting solid gains while live cattle finished essentially unchanged.
Live cattle ranged from about 2 cents lower to 22 cents higher. The market stabilized following Monday’s sharp reversal lower but failed to produce much follow-through buying.
Feeder cattle performed better, finishing about $1.20 to $1.62 higher. The rebound recovered part of Monday’s losses, with buyers returning after the recent pullback.
The cattle complex continues to show considerable day-to-day volatility, with futures reacting quickly to cash expectations, beef demand and broader market headlines.
Tuesday’s livestock story was relatively straightforward: live cattle mostly treaded water, while feeder cattle managed a moderate recovery after Monday’s selloff.