Markets· August 17, 2026 at 12:29 p.m.
Corn Prices Rally as Crop Tour Begins and Speculators Remain Net Long
Key takeaways
- Corn prices have surged by 1 ¾ to 2 ¼ cents in the front months
- Managed money speculators hold a net long position of 166,770 contracts
- Old crop corn sales are at 87.503 MMT, ahead of last year's pace
Corn prices have surged on Monday morning, with futures up by 1 ¾ to 2 ¼ cents in the front months. The rally continued from last week, where contracts increased by 5 to 11 ¼ cents across the board. The CmdtyView national average Cash Corn price rose by 11 3/4 cents to $4.30. This upward trend is significant as the ProFarmer Crop Tour begins this week, with some in the trade eagerly awaiting yield results from boots-on-the-ground assessments.
According to weekly data from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), managed money speculators held a net long position of 166,770 contracts as of August 11. This figure represents a reduction of 15,176 contracts compared to the previous week, primarily due to new short interest.
In terms of export sales, old crop corn sales currently stand at 87.503 MMT, which is 104% of the USDA number and ahead of last year's pace. Accumulated shipments are 80.066 MMT, or 95% of the USDA export projection.
However, new crop corn sales have dropped by 23.5% compared to the same period last year, at 10.575 MMT. Meanwhile, AgRural estimates that Brazil's second corn crop is only 85% harvested, lagging behind the 94% average pace from last year.
As of September 26, Sep 26 Corn closed at $4.59, up 11 cents, currently up 1 3/4 cents. Dec 26 Corn closed at $4.83 1/4, up 11 1/4 cents, currently up 2 cents. Mar 27 Corn closed at $4.99, up 11 1/4 cents, currently up 2 1/4 cents. New Crop Cash was $4.34 1/4, up 11 1/4 cents.
