Insights and Stories of Phil Franz-Warkentin

Further losses likely for falling spring wheat futures

Aug. 14, 2014 at 6:00 pm CDT

CNS Canada — Spring wheat futures at the Minneapolis Grain Exchange hit fresh contract lows over the past week, and are seen as likely to have more room to the downside as North America’s spring wheat harvest is just getting started. However, the Chicago and Kansas City winter wheat contracts […]

ICE weekly outlook: Canola rangebound, awaiting news

Aug. 13, 2014 at 5:08 pm CDT

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Improving basis boosts Prairie wheat bids

Aug. 11, 2014 at 5:11 pm CDT

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Ag Canada tightens grain/oilseed stocks projections

Jul. 22, 2014 at 4:48 pm CDT

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Canadian wheat bids mixed despite continued U.S. losses

Jul. 22, 2014 at 11:42 am CDT

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Low ocean freight rates aid North American grain exports

Jul. 17, 2014 at 10:21 am CDT

CNS — The Baltic Dry Index, which tracks global ocean shipping rates, is currently trading at its weakest levels of the past year. The declining cost of ocean freight makes North American grain and oilseed exports more competitive into international markets. The Baltic Dry Index (BDI) was quoted at 755 […]

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

ICE Canada weekly outlook: canola ‘edgy,’ watching weather

Jul. 16, 2014 at 4:03 pm CDT

ICE Futures Canada canola contracts dropped to their lowest levels in five months at one point during the week ended July 16, but managed to post small gains overall as traders continue to try and get a handle on the extent of the crop losses in Western Canada. CNS — […]

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Funds holding large short position in canola

Jul. 15, 2014 at 4:46 am CDT

CNS Canada — Fund traders have steadily added to their large short positions in canola in recent weeks, with trade estimates placing the net position at about 20,000 in the November contract. “Funds are short canola and will stay short canola until we see a significant bounce back, and I […]

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Prairie wheat bids steady overall

Jul. 15, 2014 at 4:36 am CDT

CNS Canada — Cash bids for Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) wheat showed some improvement at many delivery points across Western Canada during the week ended Monday, and held steady overall despite sharp declines in U.S. futures. Average spot bids for CWRS (13.5 per cent protein) across Manitoba, Saskatchewan and […]

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Polar vortex in July? No, but cooler temps still on the way

Jul. 10, 2014 at 6:28 pm CDT

CNS Canada — A cold mass of air making its way from the Arctic toward the U.S. has led to some reports of a summer return of the “polar vortex” that sent temperatures plummeting to extreme lows over the past winter. While the weather patterns are similar, the surge of […]

By Phil Franz-Warkentin