In its prospective plantings report, the USDA showed farmers are allocating more land for growing corn in favor of soybeans and wheat. Stocks could show volatility Friday as investors perhaps engage in a bit of window dressing to shore up their portfolios in the final session of the first quarter. Among the economic data, the report that core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy costs, jumped 0.3 percent in February, could give investors pause Friday. The Commerce Department...

Domstic basis was mixed entering the trading session, featuring stronger winter wheat premiums - nearly steady corn/soybean values - and further declines in spring wheat basis. cash grain market was quiet Monday, with a lack of country movement allowing merchants ample opportunity to speculate about spring planting progress, and begin routine rolling of spot bids to a deferred contract basis prior to May Day. Speculation regarding spring planting progress dominated discussions in the corn,...

Kellogg recently raised prices in its cereal category by 3%, reflecting increased costs, including rising commodities prices, according to analysts at Deutsche Bank. A boom in production of corn-based ethanol means Kellogg faces higher prices for its key ingredient. Grain prices may moderate later this year: A March USDA report estimated this year's corn crop could be the largest planted since 1944. The purpose: The cereal is known as an old-fashioned breakfast staple, though sales have...

In a joint statement issued late Saturday, the FDA and USDA stressed that, "We are not aware of any human illness that has occurred from exposure to melamine or its byproducts. Melamine, a derivative of coal, is at the center of the United States' largest pet food recall, involving more than 60 million packages of 100 name-brand products. Some 6,000 hogs suspected of eating the contaminated product have since been quarantined and meat from these animals will be withheld from the food...

If the damage to the crop is actually 300 million bushels, the tightening outlook for ending stocks for the US and the world could provide underlying support. SOYBEANS:The market held support last Friday as the focus seems to be shifting away from the bearish old crop situation to the possibility of a sharply lower planted acreage base and a significant decline in stocks for the coming season. WHEAT: Ideas that the rally is too far, too fast helped spark some additional long liquidation...