Corn Holds Near 1-Month Highs

2026-07-15 03:18 By Joshua Ferrer 1 min. read

Corn futures held above $4.3 per bushel, moving near one-month highs, supported by higher crude oil prices and improved US crop conditions.

The USDA confirmed 68% of the nation’s corn crop was in good or excellent shape, up from 67% a week earlier, as the risk of hot and dry weather loomed.

Hot and mostly dry weather was forecast for the western half of the US Midwest crop belt this week and potentially extending into next week, threatening crop yield potential.

Additionally, the agency reported export inspections of US corn in the latest week at 1,539,718 tons, towards the high end of trade expectations for 1,100,000 to 1,600,000 tons.

Overseas, persistent heat and drought also reduced yield prospects in France, with the USDA forecasting the country's smallest corn harvest in more than 30 years.

Meanwhile, crude oil prices continued to rise after US President Donald Trump reimposed a naval blockade on all Iranian ports and Tehran launched strikes on US infrastructure in the region.



News Stream
Corn Holds Near 1-Month Highs
Corn futures held above $4.3 per bushel, moving near one-month highs, supported by higher crude oil prices and improved US crop conditions. The USDA confirmed 68% of the nation’s corn crop was in good or excellent shape, up from 67% a week earlier, as the risk of hot and dry weather loomed. Hot and mostly dry weather was forecast for the western half of the US Midwest crop belt this week and potentially extending into next week, threatening crop yield potential. Additionally, the agency reported export inspections of US corn in the latest week at 1,539,718 tons, towards the high end of trade expectations for 1,100,000 to 1,600,000 tons. Overseas, persistent heat and drought also reduced yield prospects in France, with the USDA forecasting the country's smallest corn harvest in more than 30 years. Meanwhile, crude oil prices continued to rise after US President Donald Trump reimposed a naval blockade on all Iranian ports and Tehran launched strikes on US infrastructure in the region.
2026-07-15
Corn Rises Toward 1-Month High
Corn futures rose to around $4.4 per bushel, moving back toward a one-month high after the USDA cut US corn ending stocks more than expected in its July WASDE report, signaling a tighter supply outlook. The agency lowered 2026/27 ending stocks by 170 million bushels to 1.8 billion, as stronger export demand more than offset a modest increase in production, while keeping the national yield unchanged at 183 bushels per acre. The USDA also maintained its forecast for 5.6 billion bushels of corn to be used for ethanol in 2026/27, underscoring resilient demand from the biofuel sector. Meanwhile, traders continued to monitor weather across key US growing regions, with localized heat and uneven rainfall expected to influence yield prospects during the critical pollination stage. Overseas, persistent heat and drought further reduced yield prospects in France, with the USDA forecasting the country's smallest corn harvest in more than 30 years, adding to concerns over global supplies.
2026-07-13
Corn Retreats from 1-Month Peak
Corn futures fell to around $4.3 per bushel, pulling back from a one-month high reached on July 7 as traders took profits ahead of USDA's WASDE monthly report, despite higher crude oil prices. The retreat came despite increasingly bullish weather forecasts, with hotter and drier conditions expected to persist across parts of the US Midwest through late July, raising concerns over pollination during the crop's critical July 10–31 window. Weather concerns also intensified in Europe, where France's corn crop rating plunged to a 13-year low of 58% good-to-excellent following a record heatwave. Elsewhere, crude oil prices jumped after the US renewed strikes on Iran in retaliation for recent tanker attacks, limiting corn's downside as higher energy prices tend to support corn-based ethanol demand. Markets now await Friday's USDA WASDE report, which is expected to leave US corn production and yield forecasts largely unchanged, with 2026/27 ending stocks seen at around 1.96 billion bushels.
2026-07-09