USDA’s latest set of grain export sales data, out Thursday morning and covering the week through December 12, didn’t have a lot of surprising data for traders to unpack in the last report ahead of Christmas. Soybeans led the way, staying near the middle of analyst estimates. Corn volume was also somewhat solid, while wheat trended slightly on the higher end of trade guesses.

Corn exports gathered 46.3 million bushels in combined old and new crop sales last week, which was 24% above the prior week’s tally but 10% below the prior four-week average. That was slightly on the lower end of analyst estimates, which ranged between 31.5 million and 66.9 million bushels. Cumulative sales for the 2024/25 marketing year remain moderately ahead of last year’s pace after reaching 536.2 million bushels.

Corn export shipments inched 1% above the prior four-week average, with 41.5 million bushels. Mexico, Japan, Spain, Colombia and Guatemala were the top five destinations.

Sorghum export sales slumped to a marketing-year low after posting net reductions of 2.3 million bushels. Increases to China were handily offset by reductions to unknown destinations. Cumulative totals for the 2024/25 marketing year are still trending moderately below last year’s pace after reaching 39.4 million bushels.

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Soybean exports reached 52.3 million bushels last week, which was 27% below the prior four-week average. That was near the middle of analyst estimates, which ranged between 30.3 million and 77.2 million bushels. Cumulative totals for the 2024/25 marketing year are still tracking moderately ahead of last year’s pace after reaching 924.9 million bushels.

Soybean export shipments faded 23% below the prior four-week average, with 62.0 million bushels. China, Mexico, Bangladesh, Egypt and Vietnam were the top five destinations.

Wheat export sales trended 16% above the prior four-week average after reaching 16.8 million bushels. That was also toward the higher end of analyst estimates, which ranged between 8.3 million and 22.0 million bushels. Cumulative totals for the 2024/25 marketing year remain moderately above last year’s pace, with 411.2 million bushels.

Wheat export shipments jumped 49% above the prior four-week average, with 14.9 million bushels. Venezuela, Japan, Mexico, Thailand and El Salvador were the top five destinations.

Click here for more highlights from the latest UDSA export sales report.