Soybeans End Thursday on a Slightly Higher Note

Group 1: Soybean Market Overview - Soybeans experienced slight gains, with nearby prices increasing by 1 to 2 1/4 cents, and the national average cash bean price rising to $10.22 1/2 [1] - Soymeal futures rose by 30 to 90 cents, while soy oil futures decreased by 23 to 29 points [1] Group 2: Export Sales and Shipments - The USDA reported private export sales of 264,000 MT of soybeans to China and 226,000 MT to unknown destinations, with total bean bookings for the week ending November 13 at 695,598 MT, which is below the estimated range of 0.6-1.4 MMT and 61% lower than the same week last year [2] - September soybean shipments totaled 2.856 MMT, down 8.29% from last year but still the second largest in the last five years [4] - Soybean meal sales reached 357,861 MT, exceeding the estimated range of 50,000 to 450,000 MT, while bean oil sales recorded net reductions of 13,345 MT, below the estimated net sales of 5,000 to 25,000 MT [3] Group 3: Production and Pricing - Brazil's soybean production was updated to 177.12 MMT, a decrease of 0.48 MMT from the previous estimate [5] - On January 26, soybean prices closed at $10.93 1/2, with nearby cash at $10.22 1/2, and March and May 2026 soybeans closing at $11.02 3/4 and $11.12 1/4 respectively, both up by 1 3/4 cents [5]