Grain markets are softer in the early morning trade as we work our way into a holiday trade where volume is expected to thin through the week.

Corn
Technicals (March)
Corn futures are lower in the early morning trade, but all in all the market remains indecisively sideways as we get into the holiday trade. With prices continuing to linger in our pivot pocket, support and resistance levels from last week remain intact this week. Historically corn has shown signs of firming around this time of year, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see that delayed until we turn the calendar over into the new year. Friday’s Commitment of Traders report showed Managed Money (Funds) holding a net short position of about 151k futures/options contracts, that’s about 9k fewer than the previous week.
Bias: Bearish/Neutral
Resistance: 493-496 1/2****, 502 1/2-505***
Pivot: 481-484
Support: 470-473****, 460-464 1/2**

Seasonal Tendencies
Below is a look at historical seasonal averages for March corn futures (updated each Monday) VS today’s prices (black line).
*Past performance is not necessarily indicative of futures results.

Soybeans
Technicals (January)
Soybeans are struggling to use weather concerns in Brazil to their advantage, which makes us wonder where we would be trading if weather was friendly or if it turns more friendly. On top of this mindset, we also saw Managed Money reduce their net long position for the fourth consecutive week, now down to just about 31k futures/options contracts, the smallest position since October. With these things in mind, our bias remains Neutral/Bearish, aka cautiously bearish.
Bias: Neutral/Bearish
Resistance: 1346-1352***, 1360-1362**
Pivot: 1323-1327
Support: 1294 1/2-1300****, 1267-1272***

Seasonal Tendencies
Below is a look at historical seasonal averages for January soybean futures VS this year’s price (black line), updated each Monday
*Past performance is not necessarily indicative of futures results.

Wheat
Technicals (March)
Wheat futures traded into our 3-star resistance pocket on Friday, which we have had laid out as 622-631. The market has so far stalled out against this pocket which could lead to another round of profit taking back to the low end of the recent range and our pivot pocket 608-611
Bias: Neutral/Bearish
Resistance: 622-631***, 645-650***
Pivot: 608 1/2-611
Support: 591 1/2-595***

Seasonal Tendencies
Below is a look at historical seasonal averages for March Chicago wheat futures VS this year’s price (black line), updated each Monday.
*Past performance is not necessarily indicative of futures results.

Oliver Sloup, VP & Co-Founder, Blue Line Futures