The May soybean contract traded on Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) ended this Wednesday (18) in slight increase of 4.75 points and 0.41%, quoted at US cents 1,161.75/bushel…but a partial loss of 5.18% for the week. The July expiration It rose 5.25 points and 0.45%, the US$ cents 1,176.50/bushel – a weekly loss of 4.93%. Regarding by-products, soybean meal jumped 3.21%, reflecting an individual sale reported by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to an unknown destination. Contrary to the gains, oil lost 0.67%.
Oil and war support prices.
In this trading session, the market was influenced by the new escalation of tensions in the Middle East, involving the US, Israel, and Iran. The escalation of the conflict raised oil prices, with Brent reaching US$109.95 at its daily high after threats from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard against energy facilities in the region. The appreciation of the energy commodity tends to support the prices of grains and oilseeds, since these products are widely used in the production of biofuels.
China limits gains.
Despite external support, gains were limited by the prospect of lower Chinese demand for US soybeans. This comes after US President Donald Trump announced the postponement of his trip to Beijing to meet with Xi Jinping. The meeting is considered strategic to unlock trade negotiations and potentially increase Chinese purchases of US soybeans, as foreseen in the agreement signed between the countries last October.
Brazil on the radar
In South America, the market is closely monitoring negotiations between Brazil and China regarding requirements for… Sanitary inspection for oilseed shipmentsAccording to operators, stricter controls adopted by Beijing have Brazilian shipments delayed in the middle of peak season., raising logistical costs and generating concern about the pace of supply. Meanwhile, according to a survey by DATAGRO Grains, The 2025/26 harvest in Brazil has reached 61.1% of the cultivated area. — below the 69.0% recorded in the same period last year, but practically in line with the average of the last five years, which was 61.6%.
This text was translated by machine from Brazilian Portuguese.