BASIC & RECENT MARKET INFO

Highlights Three oil tankers  in the Mediterranean Sea and another in the Baltic Sea, have been damaged by blasts this month. All four had recently loaded crude oil at Russian ports. The causes of the incidents remain unclear, but it appears to be terrorism against Russia. Italy has launched a terrorism investigation after two explosions blew a hole below the waterline of the Greek-operated oil tanker while it was anchored on Saturday off the southern port of Savona-Vado and

Highlights Yesterday, S&P Global reported China’s PMI rose to 51.5 in November, the highest since June as new export orders rose for the first time in four months. The market expected China’s PMI to be only 50.5. This is one the strongest one-month PMI gain ever for any country! China's November factory production expanded at the fastest pace in five months in November. New orders, including those from abroad, led to a solid rise in production, pushing manufacturers' optimism

Highlights Rain has fallen the past three days in the Brazilian states of Mato Grosso and Goias and the Brazilian National Weather Service (Inmet) is forecasting more chances of rain over the next few days with amounts of 0.8 to 1.2 inches (20 to 30 mm) with the possibility of high winds and hail. Rainfall amounts and coverage should increase in central Brazil starting the second week of October. After 90 days without any significant precipitation, coverage was spotty and am

Highlights Pro Farm Tour Results for Wednesday Iowa and Illinois: Tidbits The US manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) was 47.0; the market expected 48.9. Last month's manufacturing PMI was 49.0. The US services PMI was 51.0; the market expected of 52.1. Last month’s services PMI was 52.3. A PMI number below 50 means the industry is expecting less business in the coming month than the previous month. As a result of this poor economic news. The stock market and many c

Market Schedule The CBOT will close its normal time today, but will not reopen until 8:30 AM Central on Wednesday. Trading volume will be light today as a lot of people are taking a four day weekend. The USDA will release its Weekly Crop Progress report at 3 PM Central this afternoon. The market wants to know how much the corn and bean crops improved. USDA will also release the crushing numbers for May at 2 PM. Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) is the result of a survey of

Highlights China's February manufacturing PMI was expected to be 50.5, but it came in at 52.6 this morning, the highest since April 2012... eleven years, Folks! The non-manufacturing PMI was highest since March 2021. An expanding Chinese economy means more crude oil, soybeans, corn, pork and beef. Many of you are looking for a respected market advisor who will tell you to sell your corn, wheat, and beans. We are not going to do it, so Bill Crowder is your man. Bill is a cot

Highlights The S&P Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) was released Monday. A PMI of 50 means the managers who do the buying for their business plan to buy the same number of inputs next month as they did the previous month. The S&P Index PMI, which includes US services and manufacturing was 47.3 in October, down from 49.5 in September. We did not think this news was nearly as significant as the market did. Certainly, China’s announcement it will continue its “zero covid” policy

Highlights The Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) is collected monthly. The person who buys the inputs for their company is asked if he will buy more or less inputs in the next 30 days. A PMI of 50 means the same amount of inputs are expected to be bought in the coming month as the previous month. The purchasing managers index has become a much followed monthly index to measure countries’ economic health. Yesterday’s USA PMI data was not nearly as negative as expected. The man