Wheat Futures Gain Ground Ahead of Holiday Close

metaverse_hermit · 2025-12-31T16:01:38+00:00

Grain markets saw positive momentum midweek, with wheat contracts rising due to strong export demand, significantly outpacing last year's performance. Holiday adjustments shaped trading schedules, but buyer interest remained strong ahead of the new year.

metaverse_hermit

2025-12-31 16:01:38

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Grain markets delivered positive momentum midweek, with wheat contracts across all major venues climbing during the shortened trading session. The strength came from three primary wheat types: Chicago SRW futures advanced 4-6 cents per bushel, Kansas City HRW jumped 5-6 cents in front-month delivery, and Minneapolis spring wheat held steady to marginally higher, gaining up to 1 cent.

Export Demand Outpacing Year-Over-Year Growth

The standout driver is the export performance through mid-December. Cumulative wheat export sales reached 19.855 million metric tonnes, positioning the season 22% ahead of the prior year’s comparable period. More significantly, this represents 81% of USDA’s projected full marketing year sales target, running faster than the historical 79% average pace—suggesting robust international appetite for U.S. wheat supplies.

Price Action Across Contract Months

March contracts showed the most pronounced gains, with Chicago CBOT March wheat closing at $5.21¾ (up 4¾ cents), while May month added 5 cents to $5.32¼. Kansas City’s HRW complex mirrored the strength, with March at $5.34 (plus 6 cents) and May reaching $5.46 (also up 6 cents). Minneapolis spring wheat—closely tracked through my.hrw instruments—held relatively steady, with March wheat at $5.80¼ and May contracts at $5.90¼ showing no change.

Trading Calendar Considerations

Holiday adjustments reshape this week’s market schedule. Markets will observe Christmas closure on Thursday, resuming with an 8:30 am CST hard open Friday morning. The compressed session midweek reflected lighter volume typical of pre-holiday trading, yet the breadth of gains across all three major wheat-trading venues signals underlying buyer interest ahead of the new year.

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