3 Big Things Today, Oct. 15, 2025
- Media Logic Radio
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Soybean, grain futures traded lower overnight; weekly export inspections of corn and wheat declined.
By Tony Dreibus Updated on October 15, 2025
1. Soybean, Grain Futures Decline in Overnight Trading
Soybean and grain futures were lower in overnight trading as the U.S. harvest rolls on and on continued uncertainty about the ongoing tariff war with China.
About 58% of U.S. soybeans were harvested as of Sunday, according to a Reuters poll. At this point last year, 67% of the crop was in the bin, U.S. Department of Agriculture data shows.
Roughly 44% of the corn crop was collected at the start of the week, the survey said, versus 47% at the same point last year.
The weekly crop progress report from the USDA isn’t being published during the government shutdown.
The ongoing trade war between the U.S. and China — the world’s two largest economies — also weighed on prices overnight.
President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he believes China is intentionally not buying U.S. soybeans, which he considers a hostile act. The U.S. may impose import restrictions on cooking oil imports from China in response, he said.
Trump said on Friday the U.S. would add an additional 100% tariff on Chinese goods after Beijing imposed export controls on rare-earth minerals, and that a planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the next couple of weeks may not happen.
On Sunday, however, he walked back his comments, saying everything would be fine with China.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday that the planned meeting between the presidents later this month is still on track.
Soybean futures for November delivery dropped 3¾¢ to $10.02¾ a bushel overnight on the Chicago Board of Trade. Soymeal rose 20¢ to $274.50 a short ton and soybean oil futures added 0.02¢ to 50.59¢ a pound.
Corn futures fell 1½¢ to $4.11½ a bushel.
Wheat futures for December delivery were down 2½¢ to $4.97¾ a bushel, and Kansas City futures lost 2¾¢ to $4.85¾ a bushel.
2. Corn, Wheat Inspections Drop Week-to-Week
Inspections of corn and wheat for overseas delivery both plunged week to week, according to a report from the USDA.
Corn assessments in the seven days that ended on Oct. 9 were reported at 1.13 million metric tons, the agency said. That’s down from 1.7 million ton a week earlier, but more than double the 514,100 tons examined during the same week last year.
Wheat inspections dropped to 444,138 metric tons versus 548,223 tons during the previous week. That was still better than the 380,134 tons assessed at this point in 2024, USDA said.
Examinations of soybeans for offshore delivery, however, jumped to 994,008 metric tons from 783,495 tons a week earlier, about half of the 1.91 million tons inspected a week earlier.
Since the start of the marketing year on Sept. 1, USDA has inspected 7.94 million metric tons of corn for export, up from 4.81 million tons during the same timeframe a year ago, the government said.
Soybean inspection since the beginning of September now stand at 4.04 million metric tons, down from the 5.46 million tons examined at this point in 2024.
Wheat assessments since the start of the grain’s marketing year on June 1 are now at 10.7 million metric tons, up from the 9.03 million tons inspected during the same period last year, USDA said in its report.
3. Warm Weather Forecast for Parts of Missouri
Temperatures will be well above normal in parts of northern and western Missouri and a few counties in Kansas for the next couple of days, according to National Weather Service forecasts.
Values will reach into the mid-80s today through Friday — about 15–20°F above normal, the agency said.
Chances for thunderstorms start on Friday with gusty winds and small hail possible, though the overall threat of severe weather remains low, NWS said.
Frost is possible in parts of southern Michigan tonight, the agency said. The cold weather will give way to thunderstorms in the region this weekend.
