Corn Morning Update & Commentary: Wet second half of April for Brazil?

<div class=\"default-font-wrapper\" style=\"line-height: 1;font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;\">Corn Morning Update &amp; Commentary:<br><br id=\"isPasted\">Overnight, corn futures were mostly a little better, finishing steady to one cent better by the morning pause. &nbsp;Outside markets are quiet to start, and we do not see much market-moving news around the grains. &nbsp;Technically, the market is trying to work off an overbought stance after an impressive week prior? &nbsp;Net/net, weather is likely helping some, as model runs suggest a wet end to April for much of Brazil, which would be just what the doctor ordered for safrinha corn. &nbsp; Back at home, the 6-10 &amp; 8-14 day maps lean warm/wet, which should help planters roll in the west, but the inundated east and south could struggle? &nbsp;For their part, the USDA reflected these issues somewhat, pegging national corn planting progress at just 4% complete, lagging last year and average by 1-2%. &nbsp;Texas&rsquo;s 63% planted accounts for much of the progress to date? &nbsp;There was another 8 AM sale today, making it two days in a row following a long drought; 110,000 metric tons of corn booked to Portugal. &nbsp; Other export news remains very quiet; China and U.S. continue to trade body blows in the tariff tussle, the former cancelling some jets from Boeing?<br>&nbsp;<br>After a banner week, the corn market took a small breather. &nbsp;Old crop futures finished Monday around five cents lower, while new crop positions ended 1-2 cents lower. &nbsp;We estimate Managed Money is net long roughly 95,000 delta-adjusted contracts. &nbsp; Cash trade leaned easier as the recent rally yielded some farm selling. &nbsp;The weekly grain inspections report maintained a strong shipment pace for corn. &nbsp;For the week ended 4/10, U.S. exporters shipped 1.829 million metric tons (mmt) of corn, up from 1.613 the prior week, and 1.365 last year. &nbsp;Destinations were widely varied; the lion&rsquo;s share was to traditional customers. &nbsp;Year-to-date inspections move to 37.51 mmt, which is greater than the prior year pace of 28.75 mmt. &nbsp;End-user markets were mostly firm to start the week. &nbsp;Note that markets are closed Friday for holiday; monthly Cattle on Feed data will be bumped up to Thursday afternoon. &nbsp;Ethanol margins gained back some ground Monday; industry margins were little better than breakeven to close out last week; now roughly 5 c/gal profitable, including all costs?<br>&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>QT News - Top News<br>&nbsp;<br>**USDA reported private sale of 110,000 mt of Corn to Portugual for the 24/25 MY<br>&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>-- French Farms Ministry on Tuesday updated their 2025 Winter Barley harvest area to 1.22 million hectares from the previous forecast at 1.21 mln ha.<br>&nbsp;<br>-- On Tuesday, Germany&#39;s ag ministry said the World Animal Health Organization declared the whole country free of foot-and-mouth disease. &nbsp;Most of the country had been declared of the disease since middle of March, except for a small area around the containment region after a water buffalo had tested positive back in January.<br>&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>Weekly USDA Crop Report Recap<br>&nbsp;<br>USDA weekly crop progress report: Corn planting progress at 4% complete compared to last week&#39;s 2% and year ago week 6%<br>USDA weekly crop progress report: Sorghum planting progress at 15% complete compared to last week&#39;s 13% and year ago week 14%<br>&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>Pending Tenders<br>&nbsp;<br>-- Pending Tender: &nbsp; On Thursday (4/10), Jordan&#39;s state grain buyer set April 16th as the offer deadline in a tender seeking 120,000 mt of feed Barley. &nbsp;The grain is for shipment between Aug 1 through Sep 30th.<br>&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>-- Euronext Paris June corn futures on Tuesday are trading +0.25 euro higher at 205.25 euros/mt<br>&nbsp;<br>-- Dalian July corn futures on Tuesday traded -16 yuan lower ending at 2,300 yuan/mt<br><br>KJ</div>