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Corn jumps to record on speculation { May 2008 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aQbf6P1pF8jQhttp://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aQbf6P1pF8jQ
Corn Jumps to Record on U.S. Midwest Rain, Crude Oil, Dollar
By Jae Hur and Marianne Stigset
June 9 (Bloomberg) -- Corn jumped to a record on speculation rain in the U.S. Midwest will cut supply and as rising oil costs and the dollar's decline boosted demand for a hedge against inflation. Soybeans, wheat and rice also gained.
Thunderstorms affected areas from the central Plains to the Midwest yesterday, bringing more than four inches (10 centimeters) of rain to parts of Iowa, Massachusetts-based Meteorlogix LLC said in a report. Further storms are forecast for the next five days. Corn and soybeans planted in wet, cool soils develop shallow roots, increasing the threat of damage from dry weather in July and August.
``With concerns about weather-related production losses, surging oil prices and the weaker dollar have fueled speculative demand for agricultural products that are fundamentally strong because of tight supplies,'' Daisuke Yamaguchi, an analyst at futures broker Yutaka Shoji Co. in Tokyo, said today.
Corn for July delivery rose as much as 22.25 cents, or 3.4 percent, to $6.73 in after-hours trading on the Chicago Board of Trade and stood at $6.675 as of 11:59 a.m. London time. The contract gained 8.6 percent last week, the biggest gain in 10 weeks. New-crop December corn traded as high as $6.985 a bushel.
Prices for the cereal have gained 69 percent in a year, fueled by growing demand for grain-fed meat in Asia, market speculation and the push to grow corn for ethanol. Wheat, soybeans and palm oil also reached records this year, sparking food riots from Haiti to Ivory Coast.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon last week said the world needed to invest as much as $20 billion a year on agriculture to tackle soaring food prices.
Soybeans Advance
Soybeans for July delivery added as much as 32 cents, or 2.2 percent, to $14.895 a bushel, and last traded at $14.7825. The price rose 6.9 percent last week, the most since June 2005. Soybeans, which reached a record $15.865 on March 3, are up 22 percent this year, for a fourth consecutive annual gain.
About 74 percent of U.S. corn seeds had emerged in the top 18 producing states, down from 92 percent a year earlier and the previous five-year average of 89 percent, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a report June 2. The USDA will update its weekly crop condition ratings later today.
Soybeans were 69 percent planted as of June 1, compared with 52 percent a week earlier and the five-year average of 81 percent, the USDA said. About 32 percent of the crop had emerged from the ground, compared with 64 percent a year earlier.
More than 4 million acres remained to be planted with corn and 23 million acres awaited soybean seeds on June 1, the USDA said last week. Corn and soybeans planted in wet, cool soils develop shallow roots, increasing the threat of damage from hot, dry weather in July and August.
Corn Production
Worldwide corn output in the year starting Oct. 1 may fall 0.3 percent to 777.6 million metric tons, the USDA said May 9. That estimate may be reduced in a report to be released June 10.
The dollar fell as much as 1 percent on June 6 against the euro and crude oil rose 8.4 percent in New York, the largest percentage increase since June 1996. It reached a record $139.12 a barrel. The Reuters/Jefferies CRB Index jumped 3.6 percent, the most since September 2005.
Wheat for July delivery rose 17.25 cents, or 2.1 percent, to $8.2825 a bushel. Wheat climbed 6.5 percent last week, the most since the week ended March 14, partly on speculation adverse weather may damage the crop in Kansas. Futures reached a record $13.495 on Feb. 27.
Global wheat production in the year that started June 1 is expected to rise 8.2 percent to 656 million tons from a year earlier, the USDA said last month. World stockpiles at the end of the year may increase 13 percent to 124 million tons, government data show.
Milling Wheat
Milling wheat for November delivery on the Euronext.liffe exchange in Paris climbed 7.50 euros, or 4 percent, to 197.50 euros ($312) a ton as of 1:14 p.m. local time.
Rice for July delivery added 37 cents, or 1.9 percent, to $20.33 per 100 pounds in Chicago. Rice is up 88 percent from a year earlier, reaching a record $25.07 on April 24, after some exporters curbed exports to ensure local supplies.
CME Group, the parent of CBOT, on June 6 said the margin requirement for investors in corn futures will increase by 25 percent. Speculative investors will need a minimum of $1,688 per contract in their accounts initially, up from $1,350.
Last Updated: June 9, 2008 07:54 EDT
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