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Commodity Markets Whipsawed by Record Fund Liquidations and Mixed Crop Signals

Massive speculative selling and a crude oil pullback have driven volatile price swings while improving U.S. crop conditions and strong weekly export shipments limit near‑term upside.

Overview

  • CFTC data show a record two‑week managed‑money move in corn of 210,829 contracts that forced rapid selling and rotated funds out of soybeans, wheat and soybean meal.
  • Crude oil plunged after weekend reports of a U.S.‑Iran peace development, which added early downward pressure to crop futures by cutting energy and ethanol linkages.
  • USDA and industry reports delivered mixed demand signals with strong weekly export inspections for the week of June 11 but a below‑expectations May NOPA soybean crush of 208.785 million bushels and lower soybean oil stocks.
  • USDA crop progress readings and timely rains left U.S. corn and soybeans in generally good condition (corn roughly 94% emerged and 68% good/excellent; soybeans about 95% planted and 66% good/excellent), which traders view as bearish for near‑term upside but still leaves July and August weather as the key yield risk months.
  • Livestock markets diverged as live cattle rallied sharply on higher wholesale boxed beef near $395–$400 and tighter slaughter metrics, showing protein processing moves can decouple livestock prices from crop trends and affect farm income.