Soybeans Trading Early Tuesday Gains

Market Overview - Soybean contracts showed strength on Tuesday, increasing by 1 to 3 cents, following Monday's gains of 4 to 5.5 cents, indicating bullish sentiment as the holiday week begins [1] - Preliminary open interest decreased by 10,552 contracts, primarily in January, which had 29,199 contracts, ahead of thin holiday trading and options expiration [1] - The national average cash bean price rose by 4.25 cents to $9.83.75 [1] Export Data - USDA reported soybean export shipments at 870,199 MT (31.97 million bushels) for the week ending December 18, which is 7.4% higher than the previous week but 51% lower than the same week in 2024 [2] - China was the leading destination for soybean exports, receiving 386,010 MT, followed by Mexico with 177,758 MT and Germany with 68,599 MT [2] - Cumulative exports for the marketing year 2025/26 are at 14.584 MMT (535.97 million bushels) since September 1, reflecting a 46% decrease compared to the same period last year [2] Sales Data - Export sales data indicated that 1.55 MMT of soybeans were sold in the week of December 4, marking the second-largest total for the marketing year and a 32.2% increase from the same week last year [3] - Soy meal sales were recorded at 275,487 MT, while bean oil bookings reached 1,213 MT [3] Future Expectations - The USDA's Export Sales report for the week of December 11 is anticipated to show soybean sales between 1.8-2.9 MMT, with soy meal sales expected at 275,000-550,000 MT and bean oil sales estimated between 5,000-24,000 MT [4] - Closing prices for January 26 soybeans were $10.53.25, up 4 cents, with nearby cash at $9.83.75, up 4.25 cents [4]