Thursday Morning's Markets and Things That Start with "T"

Corn Market - The corn market showed a slight increase early Thursday, with the March contract (ZCH26) trading volume under 10,000 contracts and sitting 1.25 cents lower [1] - The National Corn Index ($CNCI) was reported at $4.10, with the national average basis at 36.75 cents under March futures, a slight improvement from 37.25 cents under March the previous Friday [1] - Export demand for US corn remains strong, but projections indicate a decrease in shipment pace [1] Soybean Market - The soybean market opened lower, with the March contract (ZSH26) down 3.5 cents after a drop of 5.5 cents, with 16,000 contracts traded [3] - Concerns over Brazilian weather may be influencing market sentiment, as Brazil is a major producer of both soybeans and coffee [3] - The March-May soybean futures spread covered 42.5% of the full commercial carry, indicating a stable outlook for Brazil's 2026 production potential [3] Wheat Market - The wheat sub-sector displayed mixed results, with HRW showing a small loss, HRS a small gain, and SRW mostly unchanged on light trading volume [4] - The March HRW contract was down 1.0 cent, while HRS was up 3.75 cents, indicating low trading activity [4] - National Cash Indexes for winter wheat have gained approximately 10.0 cents but remain below the previous five-year low prices, suggesting bearish market fundamentals [4] Global Trade and Defense Spending - The US president proposed a 50% increase in defense spending to $1.5 trillion, which may lead to a government shutdown [2] - International trade is expected to continue growing, but the US is becoming a slower-growing trade hub, with uncertain impacts on GDP [2] - The US Supreme Court may rule on the constitutionality of tariffs imposed by the president, but no immediate changes in trade policy are anticipated [2]