Paris wheat hits fresh lows as export competition weighs
PARIS, Aug 22 (Reuters) -Euronext wheat extended losses on Thursday to new five-month lows as stiff export competition from Black Sea supplies eclipsed concerns over poor harvests in western Europe, a rail stoppage in Canada and intense fighting in Russia and Ukraine.
December wheat BL2Z4, the most active position on Paris-based Euronext, settled 1.1% lower at 209.50 euros ($232.78) a metric ton.
It earlier fell to 207.75 euros, its lowest since March 11 and near a life of contract low of 204 euros set in early March.
September futures BL2U4 settled 1.3% lower at 196.75 euros after earlier setting a contract low at 195.50 euros that also marked a five-month low for a front-month price BL2c1.
Sale orders triggered by the breaching of chart support levels amplified the downward trend as the market tested the psychological 200 euro floor, dealers said.
Chicago wheat Wv1 also fell. GRA/
The euro EUR= eased from a one-year high hit against the dollar the previous day, but remained a drag on western European wheat exports.
As well as top wheat exporter Russia, Ukraine was contributing to supply pressure from the Black Sea region with brisk early-season exports.
"While the EU flounders, Ukraine exports power ahead," British merchant Frontier Agriculture said in a note.
Russian 12.5% protein for September Black Sea shipment was on Thursday at around $218-$222 a ton FOB, which traders said was almost $20 a ton above west EU prices.
The market was monitoring headlines from Russia's war with Ukraine, with news of a fire at the Russian port of Kavkaz after a Ukrainian attack causing concern.
But as with a rail dispute in Canada, which saw the country's two main rail firms lock out workers on Thursday, reaction to latest war news was moderate pending signs of disruption to grain flows, traders said.
In Germany, the 2024 winter wheat crop will fall 15% on the year to 18.03 million metric tons after adverse weather including summer rain, the association of German farmers DBV said on Thursday.
"Germany could need to import some higher quality wheat this season while the export surplus will be reduced by the smaller crop," another trader said.
In France, a 30,000 ton cargo of wheat was due to load in the coming days at Rouen for the United States, according to traders, who said wheat export activity was otherwise sparse.
($1 = 0.9000 euros)
Reporting by Gus Trompiz in Paris and Michael Hogan in Hamburg
Related Assets
Latest News
Disclaimer: The XM Group entities provide execution-only service and access to our Online Trading Facility, permitting a person to view and/or use the content available on or via the website, is not intended to change or expand on this, nor does it change or expand on this. Such access and use are always subject to: (i) Terms and Conditions; (ii) Risk Warnings; and (iii) Full Disclaimer. Such content is therefore provided as no more than general information. Particularly, please be aware that the contents of our Online Trading Facility are neither a solicitation, nor an offer to enter any transactions on the financial markets. Trading on any financial market involves a significant level of risk to your capital.
All material published on our Online Trading Facility is intended for educational/informational purposes only, and does not contain – nor should it be considered as containing – financial, investment tax or trading advice and recommendations; or a record of our trading prices; or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instruments; or unsolicited financial promotions to you.
Any third-party content, as well as content prepared by XM, such as: opinions, news, research, analyses, prices and other information or links to third-party sites contained on this website are provided on an “as-is” basis, as general market commentary, and do not constitute investment advice. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, it would be considered as marketing communication under the relevant laws and regulations. Please ensure that you have read and understood our Notification on Non-Independent Investment. Research and Risk Warning concerning the foregoing information, which can be accessed here.
