Soybeans Remain Firm Ahead of Trump-Xi Talks

2026-09-18 02:53 By Joshua Ferrer 1 min. read

Soybean futures traded above $13.1 per bushel, near their highest level in almost three years supported by stronger Chinese demand for US supplies and expectations of further purchases ahead of high-level US-China talks.

China has already passed the halfway mark of its commitment to purchase 25 million metric tons of US soybeans, while recent US export sales have remained firm, confirmed at about 1.7 million metric tons, driven largely by Chinese demand.

The buying comes ahead of a planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping next week, raising hopes for progress on agricultural trade and potentially lower tariffs on US farm goods.

Meanwhile attention remains on the US harvest, with heavy Midwest rains slowing fieldwork in some areas and potentially providing near-term support to prices.

Brazil’s 2026/27 crop is also in focus as planting gets underway, with forecasts pointing to another record harvest, although growth is expected to be modest.



News Stream
Soybeans Remain Firm Ahead of Trump-Xi Talks
Soybean futures traded above $13.1 per bushel, near their highest level in almost three years supported by stronger Chinese demand for US supplies and expectations of further purchases ahead of high-level US-China talks. China has already passed the halfway mark of its commitment to purchase 25 million metric tons of US soybeans, while recent US export sales have remained firm, confirmed at about 1.7 million metric tons, driven largely by Chinese demand. The buying comes ahead of a planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping next week, raising hopes for progress on agricultural trade and potentially lower tariffs on US farm goods. Meanwhile attention remains on the US harvest, with heavy Midwest rains slowing fieldwork in some areas and potentially providing near-term support to prices. Brazil’s 2026/27 crop is also in focus as planting gets underway, with forecasts pointing to another record harvest, although growth is expected to be modest.
2026-09-18
Soybeans Rise Above $13
Soybean futures rose above $13 per bushel, near their highest since December 2023 as strong Chinese buying supported the market, while traders weighed the USDA’s latest supply-and-demand report. The USDA’s September WASDE report raised its 2026/27 US soybean production forecast to a record 4.535 billion bushels from 4.519 billion in August, with yields seen at 52.8 bushels per acre. US ending stocks were also projected at 310 million bushels, above market expectations, although down from 320 million in August. Meanwhile, China bought about 1 million metric tons of US soybeans last week, as the world’s top oilseed buyer steps up purchases ahead of Xi Jinping’s expected visit to Washington later this month. Traders now monitored developments in the Iran-US war and its impact on oil prices. Crude remains above $100 per barrel, although prices are easing as Saudi Arabia works to restore pipeline capacity. Soybeans often track oil prices given their use in biofuel production.
2026-09-14
Soybeans Trade Above $13
Soybean futures traded around $13 per bushel, near their highest level since December 2023, supported by a fresh wave of Chinese buying of US supplies ahead of Friday’s widely anticipated USDA supply-and-demand report. China has bought around 1 million metric tons of US soybeans this week, including 340,000 tons of purchases confirmed by the USDA, bringing Chinese purchases close to half of the 25 million tons it has committed to buy annually through 2028. The buying comes ahead of a planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month, raising hopes for progress on agricultural trade and potentially lower tariffs on US farm goods. Traders are also watching the USDA report for changes to its US soybean production, yield and ending-stock estimates, which could provide further direction for prices. The USDA’s latest assessment showed that 58% of crops were rated good to excellent, unchanged from the prior week and above expectations.
2026-09-11