Corn price action is mostly 1 to 2 cents weaker so far on Monday AM trade. Futures posted gains of 1 ¼ to 5 ½ cents across the board on Friday, with May rallying 13 ¼ cents on the week. December was 14 ½ cents higher last week. Preliminary open interest on Friday suggested net new buying, up 39,803 contracts, heavily in the December (20,073). There were 311 deliveries issued against May futures on Friday evening. The CmdtyView national average Cash Corn price was 7 cents higher on the day to $4.39 ¾. 

Monthly Grain Crush data from NASS showed 474.4 million bushels of corn used in ethanol production in March. That was a 10.2% increase from February and 4.76% larger than last year. Marketing year corn grind has totaled 3.225 billion bushels, now 20 mbu above last year in the same period. 

Weekly CFTC data showed managed money adding 79,697 contracts to their net long position in corn futures and options in the week of April 28. That took their net long back to 264,103 contracts. Producer selling was active with commercials adding 89,919 contracts their net short at 554,336 contracts.

Export Sales data has corn export commitments totaling 75.7 MMT as of April 23, a 29% increase from the same time last year. That is 90% of USDA’s export projection and behind the 93% average.

May 26 Corn  closed at $4.68 1/4, up 3 1/2 cents, currently up 3 cents

Nearby Cash  was $4.39 3/4, up 7 cents,

Jul 26 Corn  closed at $4.80 1/4, up 5 1/2 cents, currently down 1 1/2 cents

Dec 26 Corn  closed at $4.98 3/4, up 4 1/2 cents, currently down 1 1/4 cents

New Crop Cash  was $4.55 1/1, up 3 3/4 cents,