By: NATHAN STUEDLE
GRAIN MARKET SUMMARY
Grain futures finished lower across the board Friday, with wheat taking the biggest hit heading into the Labor Day weekend.
December corn closed 4 cents lower at $5.36¾. Corn struggled to regain momentum after breaking its recent uptrend, with traders taking some money off the table following the strong August rally.
Soybeans were also lower, although losses remained relatively modest. November beans finished down 6½ cents at $13.09¾. USDA announced another export sale Friday morning, with 250,600 metric tons of soybeans sold to unknown destinations for the 2026-27 marketing year, but that wasn't enough to push the market higher.
Wheat saw the heaviest selling. December Chicago wheat dropped 20¼ cents to $7.34. Kansas City wheat lost 13¼ cents to $8.02¼, while Minneapolis wheat fell 20½ cents to $7.45.
So Friday was a defensive finish for the grain markets — modest losses in corn and soybeans and another sharp setback in wheat as traders squared positions ahead of the three-day weekend.
LIVESTOCK MARKET SUMMARY
Livestock futures finished lower across the board Friday, giving back some of Thursday's sharp cattle rally.
October live cattle dropped $1.35 to $212.95. The market started the day slightly higher but turned lower as traders waited for additional cash cattle business and struggled to find enough fundamental support to extend Thursday's gains.
Feeder cattle also moved lower. October feeders finished down 95 cents at $320.15. That's a relatively modest setback considering Thursday's contract gained more than $6, but the cattle complex remains extremely volatile following the recent selloff and rebound.
Lean hogs posted the largest percentage decline in the livestock complex. October hogs dropped $1.15 to $82.30. Pork values have been under pressure, with weakness in the belly market contributing to the softer tone heading into Friday's session.
So the livestock markets end the week on the defensive — live cattle and feeders giving back a portion of Thursday's big rebound, while lean hogs finish with losses of more than a dollar.