Monday, August 17, 2026
Crude led a broad risk-on session as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz ground nearly to a halt over the weekend, pulling grains, oilseeds, and metals higher across almost the entire board.
The Board
Grains & Oilseeds
🌽 Corn · Dec: 489.50 · +6¼ · +1.29% 🟢⬆️ $CORN ( ▲ 1.1% )
🫘 Beans · Nov: 1216.00 · +23½ · +1.97% 🟢⬆️ $SOYB ( ▲ 1.7% )
🥩 Meal · Dec: 318.70 · +2.40 · +0.76% 🟢⬆️
🫙 Oil · Dec: 70.82 · +1.85 · +2.68% 🟢⬆️
🌾 SRW · Dec: 689.25 · −¼ · −0.04% 🔴⬇️ $WEAT ( ▲ 0.12% )
🌾 HRW · Dec: 771.75 · +4 · +0.52% 🟢⬆️
🌾 HRS · Dec: 703.00 · −1¼ · −0.18% 🔴⬇️
🌾 Oats · Dec: 349.75 · +4½ · +1.30% 🟢⬆️
Prairie Crops
🌻 Canola · Nov: C$827.40 · +8.50 · +1.04% 🟢⬆️ $RS_F ( 0.0% )
🐮 Barley · cash: C$310/tonne · n/a · n/a ➖ †
Energy
🛢️ WTI · Sep: 84.50 · +2.10 · +2.55% 🟢⬆️ †
🔥 NatGas · Sep: 2.690 · −0.043 · −1.57% 🔴⬇️
Metals
🥇 Gold · Dec: 4,473.70 · +36.40 · +0.82% 🟢⬆️ $GLD ( ▲ 1.0% )
🥈 Silver · Sep: 66.231 · +1.123 · +1.72% 🟢⬆️ $SLV ( ▲ 1.86% )
The Read
🌽 Corn: 489.50, +6¼ (+1.29%) 🟢⬆️
Corn extended into the new week as Black Sea tensions kept a bid under the whole grain complex, with no real optimism for a Ukraine ceasefire heading into Monday's session.
Dry, hot pockets across the Corn Belt and higher energy costs added a harvest-cost angle on top of the geopolitical premium.
So what: another green session prices the fall drying and hauling bill against a firmer market, not a falling one.
Watch: Thursday's Export Sales report for confirmation that demand is keeping pace with last week's tighter WASDE stocks numbers.
🫘 Soybeans: 1216.00, +23½ (+1.97%) 🟢⬆️
Beans led the grain complex higher as China's flash-purchase streak rolled into a new week; China took more than 80% of new-crop export sales in the week ending August 6.
The gain outpaced corn and wheat, a reminder that Chinese demand, not the technical setup, is still doing the heavy lifting for old-crop basis.
So what: basis holders sitting on cash get another green session as China keeps buying into the new marketing year.
Watch: today's export sales confirmation, and whether the daily China purchase pace holds through the week.