Open An Account

Agri Blog

Corn Pressured by Funds, Cattle May Be Topping – COT Snapshot

📊 Takeaways:

  • Corn bears are in control in the short term despite supply-side support
  • Soybeans quietly bid, but not aggressively
  • Cattle complex looking toppy—watch momentum
  • Weather, planting pace, and fund flows will drive next week’s tone

Author: Nathan Harris, Ag Optimus, Akron, IA Branch

Weekly Managed Money Breakdown | Market Sentiment | Crop Weather & Technical Risks

📉 Corn Sinks Despite Friendly WASDE

Managed money data for the week ending Tuesday, May 14, shows significant position shifts, most notably in corn.

Despite Monday’s supportive WASDE report, heavy fund selling pushed corn to fresh lows last week.

🧭 Key Drivers:

  • 85k contracts short in corn
  • 38k contracts long in soybeans
  • Weather and planting progress remain non-threatening for now
  • 🌧️ Recent rains in the Western Corn Belt are easing drought fears—but we’re not out of the woods yet

👀 Elwin Taylor’s drought call was gaining traction… until the clouds opened up.

🐄 Livestock Supported—But a Trap?

Funds remain solidly long the cattle complex, but last week’s sharp midweek reversal raises questions.

  • Feeder Cattle: Managed money remains aggressively long
  • Wednesday’s price action may suggest a cycle high is forming
  • Live and feeder charts flashing technical red flags

💬 Timing is everything. Charts like this make you ask: “What could go wrong?”

Images: ADMIS


Have questions about your marketing strategy? Call Nathan today! 📞  712-435-7879

Back to blog

RECENT POSTS

How and Why Margin Calls Occur: A Producer’s Guide to Liquidity

TL;DR — The AgOptimus Executive Summary The Reality: Margin calls are liquidity events, not penalties. They occur because futures markets settle daily, while physical crops sell seasonally. The Mismatch: A margin call does not mean a hedge is failing. It often means...

How to Pick the Right Hedge Month for Your Cattle

TL;DR — How to Pick the Right Hedge Month for Your Cattle Match your hedge month to when cattle will likely finish, not when the board looks best today. Weather, health, and feed performance influence finish dates — build flexibility into your plan. If cattle slip or...

Cattle on Feed Report Explained for Cattle Feeders

TL;DR The USDA Cattle on Feed (COF) report drives cattle futures because it reveals real supply: placements, marketings, and on-feed inventory. What matters isn’t the number itself—but how it compares to pre-report estimates. Heavy placements → bearish. Light...

How to Trade Futures Cattle Spreads for Hedging

Futures Cattle Spreads TL;DR A cattle spread is the price difference between two futures months; some feeders trade this difference, not the outright price. Spreads move because of real cattle fundamentals — carcass weights, placements, seasonal flows, packer demand,...