Grain Futures Slide Into Weekend as Latest USDA Data and Flows Reprice Ag Markets

Overview

• Soybeans fell 5 to 11 1/4 cents, corn lost 3 1/2 to 4 1/4 cents, and wheat dropped sharply across Chicago, KC and Minneapolis into Friday’s close.
• USDA export sales showed corn export commitments at 67.658 MMT, up about 30% year over year with shipments pacing ahead of average, while soybean commitments reached 36.79 MMT, down 19% and behind typical seasonal progress.
• USDA’s Cattle on Feed report showed February placements up 3.67% from a year ago, marketings down 7.8%, and March 1 on‑feed inventory at 11.549 million head, down 0.24% year over year.
• USDA APHIS reported 1,194 active new world screwworm cases in Mexico, including 34 in the border state of Tamaulipas.
• CFTC data recorded a record Tuesday‑to‑Tuesday reduction in speculators’ net short in cotton by 26,549 contracts to 40,205, as front 2026 cotton contracts closed 3 to 36 points lower with deferreds slightly higher.