On Wednesday, August 13, 2025, U.S. grain futures ended with soybeans leading the charge, supported by a second straight day of short-covering and tightening supply sentiment.

• December corn closed up 2¾¢ to $3.97¼ per bushel.

• November soybeans rose 11½¢ to $10.44¼ per bushel.

• CBOT September wheat gained 2¼¢ to $5.07¼, while KC September wheat slipped 2¢ to $5.28. Minneapolis December wheat added ¾¢ to $5.54¼.

Jamey Kohake, senior risk manager at Pinion, noted that "August-to-January crop reports are often revised lower. With a record harvest forecast, this rally may be short-lived."

Midday Momentum

Earlier in the session, soybeans were already up 6½¢ as traders reacted to an unexpected cut in U.S. soybean ending stocks.

• December corn traded at $3.96¼, up 1¾¢.

• November soybeans reached $10.39¼, buoyed by inventory rationing concerns.

• CBOT September wheat gained 2¢ to $5.07, while KC September wheat eased ½¢ to $5.29½. Minneapolis December wheat slipped 4¢ to $5.53½.

According to Karl Setzer, partner at Consus Ag Consulting, "Any further production cuts will now be amplified, as new-crop soybean stocks are already tight."

Livestock and Energy Markets

Cattle futures extended gains, with October live cattle up 40¢ to $229.42 per cwt at the close, and September feeder cattle adding 37¢ to $346.62 per cwt. Earlier in the day, both contracts saw stronger gains of $2.50 and $2.77 respectively.

October lean hogs ended down 82¢ to $90.77 per cwt.

September crude oil settled 42¢ lower at $62.75 per barrel, after trading nearly $1 lower earlier in the day.

Broader Market Context

The U.S. Dollar Index for September fell 272 points by the close, adding some export competitiveness for grains.
Equity markets strengthened, with the S&P 500 up 20.82 points and the Dow Jones Industrial Average surging 463.66 points.