Gavin Maguire is a Reuters columnist, opinions expressed are his own CHICAGO, April 23 (Reuters) – Traditionally, the July-November soybean spread has been viewed as the quintessential old crop/new crop position to hold over the U.S. growing season as the vagaries of Midwest growing weather coupled with gyrations in global demand make for volatile prices. […] Read more
Stories by Reuters News Service
Dow Chemical expects margin growth after cost control pays
April 23 (Reuters) – Dow Chemical Co said it expected margins to grow in almost all of its businesses in the near term, after tight cost control helped it lift margins in the first quarter. The No. 1 U.S. chemical maker by sales reported a higher-than-expected profit, sending its shares up as much as 3.5 […] Read more
Kazakhstan to boost grain exports to Iran, China
ASTANA, April 23 (Reuters) – Kazakhstan will boost grain exports to Iran and China this 2013/14 marketing year as it seeks to diversify regions of supply and reduce dependence on Russian and Ukrainian ports, the country’s state grain trader said on Wednesday. Kazakhstan, Central Asia’s largest grain producer, exports the bulk of its grain – […] Read more
Pork giant WH Group slashes Hong Kong IPO, seeks up to $1.9 billion
HONG KONG, April 23 (Reuters) – WH Group Ltd, the world’s biggest pork company, has cut its Hong Kong IPO by two thirds as market volatility and rich valuations turned investors off the deal, a revised term sheet seen by Reuters showed on Wednesday. It is now seeking as much as $1.9 billion. By contrast, […] Read more
CN, CP Rail profits could leave sour taste for farmers
By Solarina Ho April 22 (Reuters) – Canada’s two largest railroads reported stronger-than-expected profits on Tuesday, results that could prompt fresh criticism from farmers already unhappy with the handling of a massive crop backlog during one of the harshest winters in decades. Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. and Canadian National Railway Co. have come under enormous […] Read more
CME Group overhauls daily grain price limits
By Tom Polansek CHICAGO, April 22 (Reuters) – CME Group Inc, the world’s largest futures market operator, said on Tuesday it will overhaul the system for setting daily price limits for U.S. grain and oilseed futures to reflect fluctuations in crop prices. Starting on May 1, CME, owner of the Chicago Board of Trade and […] Read more
Solid beef demand drives live cattle higher; hogs up
By Theopolis Waters CHICAGO, April 22 (Reuters) – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures on Tuesday gained, supported by short-covering sparked by strong demand for beef at wholesale, traders and analysts said. Tuesday morning’s wholesale choice beef price, or cutout, climbed $2.26 per hundredweight (cwt.) from Monday to $231.32. Select cuts rose $1.23 to $219.30, […] Read more
Weak cash sinks hog futures; cattle firm
By Theopolis Waters CHICAGO, April 21 (Reuters) – Chicago Mercantile Exchange hog futures tumbled two percent on Monday, pressured by lower prices for market-ready or cash hogs, traders said. The morning’s average of hogs in the eastern Midwest dropped $1.02 per hundredweight (cwt) from Friday to $110.56, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Hog […] Read more
USDA will require reporting of killer piglet virus PEDv
WASHINGTON, April 18 (Reuters) – In an expected move, the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Friday announced new measures to combat the spread of disease in the U.S. pig population. The agency said it would require reporting of the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv), which has killed millions of piglets over the past year, and […] Read more
Japan says trade talks with U.S. to resume on Monday, gaps remain
WASHINGTON/TOKYO, April 18 (Reuters) – Talks between the United States and Japan seen as vital to a broader regional trade pact are making progress and will resume again on Monday, Japan’s economy minister said on Friday, as negotiators struggle to narrow gaps ahead of a summit between the countries’ leaders. A U.S.-Japan agreement is critical […] Read more
