Editor’s note: Pro Farmer will be observing an abbreviated schedule today, publishing First Thing Today and After the Bell only. We will resume our regular publishing schedule on Monday, Jan. 5.
Grain and soy complex futures kicked off 2026 on a down note, following through on the weak finish Wednesday ahead of the New Year’s Day holiday. It was a different story in the cattle market, with feeders and live cattle jumping after reports that a case of the New World screwworm parasite had been detected in Mexico late Thursday, the second case in two days. The discovery of new cases likely further pushes back any opening of the U.S. southern border to feeder-cattle imports from Mexico.
Corn: March corn fell 2 ¾ cents to close at $4.37 ½, a fifth straight decline. The contract fell 12 ½ cents for the week.
Soybeans: March soybeans lost 1 cent to close at $10.45 ¾, nearer the daily high but the lowest close since Oct. 16 for a 26 ¾ cent loss on the week. March soybean meal fell $3.40 to $295.90, while March soyoil gained 74 points to $49.32.
Wheat: March SRW wheat ended ½ cent lower at $5.06 ½ after hitting a contract low. March wheat fell 12 ½ cents on the week, unable to shake off pressure from robust global supplies. March HRW wheat gained ¼ cent to $5.15, while Minneapolis spring wheat slipped 3.25 cents to $5.7075.
Cotton: March cotton shed 26 points to end at 64.01 cents, leaving it down 48 points for the week. Spillover pressure from grains and oilseeds and a firmer dollar were a weight on the market.
Cattle: February live cattle rose $4.40 to close at $236, closing a gap on the daily chart from late October and logging its highest close since Oct. 23. Live cattle rose $6.35 on the week. March feeders jumped $7.625 to $352.95, for a weekly gain of $12.525.
Hogs: February lean hogs lost $1 to $84.10, falling 42.5 cents on the week. Cash weakness has been a weight on the hog market this week.