October 23, 2026

Mid-Co Morning Comments:

• Ag markets are mixed to round out the week as soybeans try to hold onto gains made yesterday, closing higher Thursday for the first time since October 9th.  
• CIF corn bids continue to ease nearby, with October down a nickel. Bean CIF continues to gain momentum, with October up 7c and November up 6c as Chinese demand continues to keep basis elevated. 
• Barge shipments on the Mississippi River for the week ending October 17, according to the USDA, were up 31% from the previous week overall. Soybean shipments were up 84% and corn barge movement was down 26% compared to last week.
• The Buenos Aires Grain Exchange in Argentina showed corn planting progress at 40% complete, which remains ahead of last year's pace. 
• ABIOVE reported Thursday that it sees Brazil's soybean crush for the 26/27 season reaching a record 66 MMT, which would increase oil and meal production by about 4%. It expects exports to be slightly lower on the year as more soybeans will be used domestically. 
• Outside markets are trading mixed: nearby crude oil futures are up $1.60/bbl, the Dow Jones index is down 480-490 points, and the U.S. dollar index is up 10-20 points.
• Today's reports include the CFTC Commitment of Traders and Cattle on Feed.