Corn price action is down 2 to 4 cents so far on Monday morning. Futures rounded out the Friday session with contracts steady in some deferreds to 4 ¾ cents higher in the front months as March expired. Preliminary open interest was up 19,008 contracts on Friday. May closed the week with a 6 ¾ cent gain from on the week. The CmdtyView national average Cash Corn price was up 4 3/4 cents to $4.24 1/4. Crude oil is down $1.76 this morning.

The weekly Commitment of Traders report from CFTC showed a total of 140,297 contracts of futures and options added to the spec fund net long position in the week ending on March 10. That was the largest Tuesday/Tuesday bull move since May 2019 and took the net position to 193,271 contracts. Producer selling was noted, as commercials added 143,803 contracts to their net short to 477,414 contracts. 

Export Sales data from Thursday brought the marketing year corn export commitments to 66.513 MMT, which is 32% larger than the same period last year. That is 79% of USDA’s export number and near the 80% average pace. Shipments at 41.74 MMT are now 50% of USDA’s number and running ahead of the 43% average pace.

AgRural estimate the Brazilian first corn crop at 50% harvested by Thursday, lagging the 72% pace last year. The second crop corn was at 91% planted, behind the 97% pace a year ago. 

May 26 Corn  closed at $4.67 1/4, up 4 3/4 cents, currently down 4 cents

Nearby Cash  was $4.24 1/2, up 4 3/4 cents,

Jul 26 Corn  closed at $4.78 1/4, up 4 1/4 cents, currently down 3 1/4 cents

Sep 26 Corn  closed at $4.79 1/4, up 2 1/4 cents, currently down 3 cents