Corn Shrugging Off Overnight Weakness

Core Insights - Corn prices are experiencing slight gains following a period of weaker trading, with futures showing increases of 5 to 6 ¼ cents across the front months [1] - The U.S. corn crop is currently 7% harvested, aligning with the 5-year average, but condition ratings have decreased by 1% to 67% good/excellent [2] - Early harvest reports indicate yields may be lower than last year, raising concerns about whether this trend will continue as harvesting progresses [3] Group 1: Market Performance - Futures prices for December 25 Corn closed at $4.29 1/2, up 6 1/4 cents, while March 26 Corn closed at $4.47, up 6 cents [3] - The CmdtyView national average Cash Corn price increased by 6 1/4 cents to $3.85 ¼ [1] Group 2: Crop Conditions - The Brugler500 index for corn conditions fell by 3 points to 372, with only Illinois, Nebraska, and Ohio showing improvements in crop conditions [2] - Significant declines in conditions were noted in Indiana (-7), Iowa (-4), Minnesota (-3), Missouri (-3), and North Dakota (-4) [2] Group 3: Export and Import Activity - ANEC estimates Brazilian corn exports for September at 7.12 million metric tons, slightly above previous estimates [3] - A private South Korean importer has purchased 65,000 metric tons of corn in a recent tender [3]