Commodities Mixed in Monday Trading

Oct 18, 2011, 09:47 by R.E. Christian

Grain futures closed mixed Monday on the Chicago Board of Trade as equities tumbled on Wall Street and the dollar index rose 0.77 percent.

Corn was off 1 to up 1/2, soybeans were off 17 to off 18, wheat was off 1/2 to up 1 1/2 and oats were off unchanged to off 1/2.

Corn closed mixed as concerns over sovereign debt in Europe casting a shadow over equities and, by extension, commodity markets. Wheat prices were flat as Iraq issued a tender that went to Russian, Canadian and Australian sellers. In the soybean markets, wet weather looks likely to slow the harvest, but not dramatically. Soybeans lost ground with the dollar gaining strength and Taiwan issuing a tender for up to 60,000 metric tons of soybeans from U.S. and South American sources.

The prices:

Corn: Dec 6.40 1/2 up 1/2, Mar 6.51 1/4 off 1/4, May 6.58 off 3/4, Jly 6.62 1/4 off 1.

Soybeans: Nov 12.53 off 17, Jan 12.60 1/2 off 18, Mar 12.67 3/4, off 18, May 12.71 off 18.

Wheat: Dec 6.24 1/4 up 1 1/2, Mar 6.58 up 1 1/2, May 6.81 up 1 1/4, Jly 6.96 3/4 off 1/2.

Oats: Dec 3.39 1/2 off 1/2, Mar 3.49 1/2 off 1/2, May 3.56 unchanged, Jly 3.62 unchanged.

Source: UPI