DTN Closing Grain Comments    03/17 13:52
   Wheat Accelerates Gains as Corn, Soy Markets Sputter to Begin Week

   It was an overall quiet start to the week as corn and soybean markets again
traded mostly sideways, failing to hold early gains. Currently, wheat prices
are seemingly the only one of the big three U.S. row crops which have a sense
of conviction behind the trade, as prices jumped higher again Monday and now
have reclaimed the majority of losses from the late February collapse. Outside
market news was also uncharacteristically quiet to begin the new week, with
little trade updates other than the Trump administration reaffirming April 2 as
the date for further tariff action to be taken. For now, lukewarm retail sales
data Monday has U.S. stock indices cautiously higher as trade war fears --
given what we currently know -- may be effectively priced in, at least until
the next deadline grows nearer then traders will reevaluate. The U.S. Dollar
Index was also weaker Monday, dropping to near-term support, which aided wheat
in its strong move higher.

Rhett Montgomery
DTN Lead Analyst

GENERAL COMMENTS:

   May corn closed up 2 1/2 cents and July corn was up 2 1/2 cents. May
soybeans closed down 1/2 cents and July soybeans were down 3/4 cents. May KC
wheat closed up 19 1/2 cents, May Chicago wheat was up 11 1/2 cents, May
Minneapolis wheat was up 13 1/4 cents.