A Choppy Grain Trade Creates Opportunity
Grain markets have been choppy to start the week, offering a little something for participants on both sides of the markets. Is a choppy trade going to remain the trend through the remainder of the month?
Corn
Monday’s Recap
Monday’s Corn market was higher with the May contract up 2’4 to 461’0. Overall, 375,615 contracts were traded, with 180,875 done in May. Total open interest fell by 18,607, or 1.01%, with May down by 14,440 (2.07%) to 684,066.
Technicals
May corn futures attempted to get something going to the upside early in yesterday’s trade but ultimately failed to make any meaningful progress. Weakness has crept in overnight with prices trading back to our first support pocket from 454 1/2-457 3/4. A break and close below here and we could see a further retracement towards the lows from the start of the month, 442 1/2.
Technical Levels of Importance
Resistance: 480-484***, 486 1/2-488 1/2****
Pivot: 472 3/4-473 1/2
Support: 454 1/2-457 3/4***
Popular Options
Option trading centered around the July 550 calls with 11,184 done and the April 455 puts with volume of 4,780. In May options, the most actively traded call was the 480 strike with 4,641 done, and the 460 put leads with volume of 2,930. Option open interest is highest for the July 500 calls at 35,997, and the July 450 puts at 20,039.
Volatility Update
Corn implied volatility finished moderately down as CVL fell 0.95 to close the session at 26.80. Dropping 0.44% to a one week low, historical volatility (as measured by the 30-day) finished at 23.28%. The CVL Skew closed the session moderately lower, off 0.28 to finish at 0.63, a one week low.
Seasonal Tendencies Update
(Updated on 3.17.25)
Below is a look at historical price averages for May corn futures on a 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30 year time frames (Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results).
Commitment of Traders Update
Friday’s Commitment of Traders report showed Funds were net sellers of about 70k futures contracts, shrinking their net long position to 132,412
Soybeans
Monday’s Recap
Soybean futures were mostly higher Monday with the May contract finishing the session at 1015’4, off by 0’4. Overall, a light 148,483 contracts changed hands, with 80,925 traded in May. Combined open interest rose by 2,176 (0.26%) to 823,359. May fell 1,367, or 0.37%, finishing at 372,914.
Technicals
The soybean chart is looking slightly8 more constructive than corn as we are closer towards the middle of the range from the month and holding ground over the last 2-weeks. 1008-1013 continues to be the pivot pocket we are keeping an eye on, a failure here and a break back to the lows of the month near 991-995 3/4 would be the next downside objective. On the resistance side of things, 1024-1030 1/4 is the hurdle for the Bulls to clear.
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