Farm Progress

Why soybeans are like The Emperor’s New Clothes

Technical traders and computers rule volatile markets. (Audio report)

February 13, 2018

2 Min Read

Big gains in the soybean market Monday left some observers scratching their heads. Sure, hot dry weather threatens production in Argentina, but that story isn’t new. One explanation for market behavior recently points to price charts. While daily trading ranges were big, futures moved in fairly orderly trading channels both up, and down, with advances and declines turning on targets followed by technical traders. While there’s nothing proven about these systems, they’re widely watched, even by traders who base decisions on supply and demand. The patterns seem to work until someone says, “The Emperor has no clothes on.”

Knorr discusses overnight market moves with Pam Jahnke, Wisconsin Farm Report, and you can listen using the audio tool below.

Senior Editor Bryce Knorr first joined Farm Futures Magazine in 1987. In addition to analyzing and writing about the commodity markets, he is a former futures introducing broker and is a registered Commodity Trading Advisor. He conducts Farm Futures exclusive surveys on acreage, production and management issues and is one of the analysts regularly contracted by business wire services before major USDA crop reports. Besides the Morning Call on www.FarmFutures.com he writes weekly reviews for corn, soybeans, and wheat that include selling price targets, charts and seasonal trends. His other weekly reviews on basis, energy, fertilizer and financial markets and feature price forecasts for key crop inputs. A journalist with 38 years of experience, he received the Master Writers Award from the American Agricultural Editors Association. And you can follow Farm Futures throughout the day on Twitter at www.twitter.com/farmfutures, and be sure to like or follow the new Farm Futures Facebook page.

Pam Jahnke is Farm Director of the Wisconsin Farm Report that is carried on 16 stations in Wisconsin.  Known as the "Fabulous Farm Babe" Pam studied broadcast journalism and broad area agriculture at the University of Wisconsin - River Falls. After college, Pam moved into her chosen field, doing farm broadcasting, radio and television, from Green Bay to Eau Claire, WI - and she's never looked back.  Pam often says she feels like farm broadcasting and communicating on behalf of food producers is exactly what she was made for. Pam has been named "Friend of Agriculture" by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture for her assistance in raising awareness of the "Harvest of Hope" program. She has also served as president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting.

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