
Wheat falls more than 3% on supply pressure; corn, soybeans drop
Corn and soybeans fell about 1.3% on expectations of bumper US production as trading resumed after the US Independence Day holiday on Friday.
'There is general harvest pressure in the wheat market,' said Ole Houe, head of advisory services at IKON Commodities in Sydney.
'US futures in particular for wheat had rallied to a level where US was uncompetitive.'
The most-active wheat contract on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) fell 3.2% to $5.46-1/4 a bushel, as of 0230 GMT, after hitting its lowest since July 1 earlier in the session.
EU wheat eases in US holiday lull
Corn lost 1.4% to 4.27-1/2 a bushel and soybeans shed 1.4% to $10.33-3/4 a bushel.
Wheat prices are being anchored by an accelerating US winter crop harvest and big crops in the Black Sea region and western Europe.
There was additional pressure on the wheat market as Russia, the world's No. 1 supplier, decided to cut its export tax to zero.
It is the first time the tax has been removed since it was introduced in 2021 to protect the domestic market from price spikes and to discourage excessive exports.
Drought in the Rostov region, Russia's top wheat and grain producing region in 2024, is not seen affecting the overall grain harvest in Russia, Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut said on Friday, the state RIA news agency reported.
Participants in agricultural markets are closely watching the outcome of trade talks between the United States and its key partners, particularly China, by far the world's largest soybean importer.
The United States is close to finalising several trade agreements in the coming days and will notify other countries of higher tariff rates by July 9, President Donald Trump said on Sunday, with the higher rates to take effect on August 1.
The European Union will cut Ukrainian wheat and sugar imports by up to 80% to address its farmers' concerns, according to quotas announced on Friday, that are likely to drive Ukraine growers to sell more to markets in Asia and Africa.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Express Tribune
24 minutes ago
- Express Tribune
Trump sends weapons to Ukraine, gives Russia 50 days to stop war
Listen to article US President Donald Trump announced new weapons for Ukraine on Monday, and threatened to hit buyers of Russian exports with sanctions unless Russia agrees a peace deal in 50 days, a major shift in policy brought on by frustration with Moscow. Sitting side-by-side with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office, Trump told reporters that he was disappointed in Russian President Vladimir Putin. Billions of dollars in weapons would be distributed to Ukraine, he said. "We're going to make top-of-the-line weapons, and they'll be sent to NATO," Trump said, adding that Washington's NATO allies would pay for the weapons. The weapons would include Patriot air defence missiles, which Ukraine has urgently sought to defend its cities from Russian air strikes. "It's a full complement with the batteries," Trump said. "We're going to have some come very soon, within days... a couple of the countries that have Patriots are going to swap over and will replace the Patriots with the ones they have." Some or all of 17 Patriot batteries ordered by other countries could be sent to Ukraine "very quickly", he said. His threat to impose so-called secondary sanctions on Russia, if carried out, would be a major shift in Western sanctions policy. Lawmakers from both political parties in the United States are pushing for a bill that would authorise such measures, targeting other countries that buy Russian oil. Throughout the more than three-year-old war, Western countries have cut off most of their own financial ties to Moscow, but have held back from taking steps that would restrict Russia from selling its oil elsewhere. That has allowed Moscow to continue earning hundreds of billions of dollars from shipping oil to buyers such as China and India. Also Read: N Korea offers Russia full support on Ukraine "We're going to be doing secondary tariffs," Trump said. "If we don't have a deal in 50 days, it's very simple, and they'll be at 100%." A White House official said Trump was referring to 100% tariffs on Russian goods as well as secondary sanctions on other countries that buy its exports. Grace period Still, Trump's announcement of a 50-day grace period was greeted with relief by investors in Russia, where the rouble recovered from earlier losses and stock markets rose. "Trump performed below market expectations. He gave 50 days during which the Russian leadership can come up with something and extend the negotiation track. Moreover, Trump likes to postpone and extend such deadlines," said analyst Artyom Nikolayev from Invest Era, a financial information firm. Trump, who returned to power this year promising a quick end to the war, said his shift was motivated by increasing frustration with Putin, who, he said, had talked about peace but continued to strike Ukrainian cities. Read More: China,Russia discuss US ties and Ukraine war, says Moscow "We actually had probably four times a deal. And then the deal wouldn't happen because bombs would be thrown out that night and you'd say we're not making any deals," Trump said. Since returning to the White House, Trump has sought rapprochement with Moscow, speaking several times with Putin. His administration has pulled back from pro-Ukrainian policies such as backing Kyiv's membership in NATO and demanding Russia withdraw from all Ukrainian territory. But so far, Putin has yet to accept a proposal from Trump for an unconditional ceasefire, which was quickly endorsed by Kyiv. Recent days have seen Russia use hundreds of drones to attack Ukrainian cities. Trump vented his frustration last week, saying: "We get a lot of bullshit, opens new tab thrown at us by Putin." Earlier on Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy held talks with Trump's envoy Keith Kellogg. Zelenskiy said he had discussed "the path to peace and what we can practically do together to bring it closer", including "strengthening Ukraine's air defence, joint production and procurement of defence weapons in collaboration with Europe." An air-raid alert was declared in Kyiv shortly after Zelenskiy's talks with Kellogg took place. Separately on Monday, Zelenskiy said he would replace his long-serving prime minister Denys Shmyhal with Shmyhal's first deputy, Yulia Svyrydenko, in "a transformation of the executive branch". Her appointment will require parliamentary approval. Svyrydenko, 39, is an economist and has previously served as minister of economic development and trade and as deputy head of Zelenskiy's office. She played a key role in negotiations between Kyiv and Washington on a minerals deal. Russia, which began its full-scale invasion in February 2022, holds about one-fifth of Ukraine. Its forces are slowly advancing in eastern Ukraine and Moscow shows no sign of abandoning its main war goals.


Business Recorder
31 minutes ago
- Business Recorder
In reversal, Trump arms Ukraine and threatens sanctions on countries that buy Russian oil
KYIV/WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump announced new weapons for Ukraine on Monday, and threatened to hit buyers of Russian exports with sanctions unless Russia agrees a peace deal in 50 days, a major shift in policy brought on by frustration with Moscow. Sitting side-by-side with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office, Trump told reporters that he was disappointed in Russian President Vladimir Putin. Billions of dollars in weapons would be distributed to Ukraine, he said. 'We're going to make top-of-the-line weapons, and they'll be sent to NATO,' Trump said, adding that Washington's NATO allies would pay for the weapons. The weapons would include Patriot air defence missiles, which Ukraine has urgently sought to defend its cities from Russian air strikes. 'It's a full complement with the batteries,' Trump said. 'We're going to have some come very soon, within days… a couple of the countries that have Patriots are going to swap over and will replace the Patriots with the ones they have.' Trump criticizes Putin after approving more weapons for Ukraine Some or all of 17 Patriot batteries ordered by other countries could be sent to Ukraine 'very quickly', he said. His threat to impose so-called secondary sanctions on Russia, if carried out, would be a major shift in Western sanctions policy. Lawmakers from both political parties in the United States are pushing for a bill that would authorise such measures, targeting other countries that buy Russian oil. Throughout the more than three-year-old war, Western countries have cut off most of their own financial ties to Moscow, but have held back from taking steps that would restrict Russia from selling its oil elsewhere. That has allowed Moscow to continue earning hundreds of billions of dollars from shipping oil to buyers such as China and India. 'We're going to be doing secondary tariffs,' Trump said. 'If we don't have a deal in 50 days, it's very simple, and they'll be at 100%.' A White House official said Trump was referring to 100% tariffs on Russian goods as well as secondary sanctions on other countries that buy its exports. Grace period Still, Trump's announcement of a 50-day grace period was greeted with relief by investors in Russia, where the rouble recovered from earlier losses and stock markets rose. 'Trump performed below market expectations. He gave 50 days during which the Russian leadership can come up with something and extend the negotiation track. Moreover, Trump likes to postpone and extend such deadlines,' said analyst Artyom Nikolayev from Invest Era, a financial information firm. Trump says Putin 'playing with fire' in new jab at Russian leader Trump, who returned to power this year promising a quick end to the war, said his shift was motivated by increasing frustration with Putin, who, he said, had talked about peace but continued to strike Ukrainian cities. 'We actually had probably four times a deal. And then the deal wouldn't happen because bombs would be thrown out that night and you'd say we're not making any deals,' Trump said. Since returning to the White House, Trump has sought rapprochement with Moscow, speaking several times with Putin. His administration has pulled back from pro-Ukrainian policies such as backing Kyiv's membership in NATO and demanding Russia withdraw from all Ukrainian territory. But so far, Putin has yet to accept a proposal from Trump for an unconditional ceasefire, which was quickly endorsed by Kyiv. Recent days have seen Russia use hundreds of drones to attack Ukrainian cities. Trump vented his frustration last week, saying: 'We get a lot of bullshit thrown at us by Putin.' Earlier on Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy held talks with Trump's envoy Keith Kellogg. Zelenskiy said he had discussed 'the path to peace and what we can practically do together to bring it closer', including 'strengthening Ukraine's air defence, joint production and procurement of defence weapons in collaboration with Europe.' An air-raid alert was declared in Kyiv shortly after Zelenskiy's talks with Kellogg took place. Separately on Monday, Zelenskiy said he would replace his long-serving prime minister Denys Shmyhal with Shmyhal's first deputy, Yulia Svyrydenko, in 'a transformation of the executive branch'. Her appointment will require parliamentary approval. Svyrydenko, 39, is an economist and has previously served as minister of economic development and trade and as deputy head of Zelenskiy's office. She played a key role in negotiations between Kyiv and Washington on a minerals deal. Russia, which began its full-scale invasion in February 2022, holds about one-fifth of Ukraine. Its forces are slowly advancing in eastern Ukraine and Moscow shows no sign of abandoning its main war goals.


Business Recorder
an hour ago
- Business Recorder
Oil steadies near three-week high on signs of tighter supply
LONDON: Oil prices steadied on Monday, holding close to their highest level in three weeks, as investors eyed further U.S. sanctions on Russia that may affect global supplies, while tariff uncertainty weighed. Brent crude futures rose 16 cents, or 0.2%, to $70.52 a barrel by 1326 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures climbed 12 cents, also 0.2%, to $68.57. Higher crude imports by China and expectations around U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement on Russia are supporting prices, UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo said. 'There is still a perceived tightness in the market, with most of the inventory build in China and on ships, and not in key locations,' he said. Oil rises over as investors weigh market outlook Russia's seaborne oil product exports in June were down 3.4% from May at 8.98 million metric tons, data from industry sources and Reuters calculations showed. Trump said on Sunday that he will send Patriot air defence missiles to Ukraine. He is due to make a 'major statement' on Russia on Monday, having expressed his frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin due to the lack of progress in ending the war in Ukraine. A bipartisan U.S. bill that would hit Russia with sanctions gained momentum last week in Congress. European Union envoys, meanwhile, are on the verge of agreeing an 18th package of sanctions against Russia that would include a lower oil price cap. China's June oil imports increased 7.4% on the year to 12.14 million barrels per day, the highest since August 2023, according to customs data released on Monday. Last week, Brent rose 3%, while WTI had a weekly gain of around 2.2%, after the International Energy Agency said the global oil market may be tighter than it appears. Investors are also eyeing the outcome of U.S. tariff talks with key trading partners. The European Union and South Korea said on Monday they were working on trade deals with the U.S. that would soften the blow from looming tariffs as Washington threatens to impose hefty duties from August 1. EU member states find Trump's tariff threat 'absolutely unacceptable', Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said on Monday during a joint press conference with EU's Trade Chief Maros Sefcovic in Brussels.