AUDIO: Weekly Market Commentary w/ Jim Daven (Mar. 23-27)

We're talking with Jim Daven, market analyst with Commercial Grain Inc. in Conway, Ark.

We'll start off with grains. Jim, how much influence will Tuesday's report from USDA have on market movement?




Moving on to rice and cotton. Jim, are there any new developments in those markets this week?




Finally, looking at livestock. Jim, will we see more bullish movement in the cattle market since August feeders topped 100 this week?




Thanks, Jim! We look forward to hearing from you again next week.

Weekly Soybean Complex Update Mon 23, 2009

CONWAY, Ark.-(Commercial Grain Inc.)--Informa’s U.S. soybean balance sheet is unchanged from last week with only minor changes made for soybean meal.

Soybean oil domestic usage for 2008/09 has been increased by 100 million pounds after National Oilseed Processors Association (NOPA) reported a larger-than-expected crush with soybean oil stocks somewhat less than anticipated.

Informa sees USDA estimating March 1 soybean stocks at 1,315 million bushels on March 31. Soybean futures rallied 75 cents in the May contract and 69 cents in the November contract this past week as speculative buying was spurred by a
rebound in the outside equity and energy markets, the Fed’s plan to buy bonds and mortgage-backed securities.


Jim Daven

AUDIO: Weekly Market Commentary w/ Jim Daven (Mar. 16-20)

We're talking with Jim Daven, market analyst with Commercial Grain Inc. in Conway, Ark.

We'll start in the grain sector. Jim, will this week's price action extend into next week?




Next, we'll look at rice and cotton. Jim will rice remain range-bound for any extended period?




Finally, moving on to livestock. Jim, should cattle markets see some support from a weakening U.S. dollar?




Thanks, Jim! We look forward to talking with you again next week.

Senate Committee Approves Gensler to Head CFTC

WASHINGTON-(Reuters)--President Barack Obama's nominee to oversee U.S. futures markets, who has confessed he should have done more to rein in exotic financial instruments that have battered global markets, was approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee on Monday.

The approval of Gary Gensler, a former Goldman Sachs executive, clears the way for a Senate vote putting him in charge of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

He was approved by a roll-call vote. A spokeswoman for the committee could not provide a tally, but said there were no negative votes.

During his February confirmation hearing, lawmakers grilled Gensler on his involvement as a high-level Treasury official in a 2000 law that exempted the $58 trillion credit default swap market from oversight.

The financial instruments have been blamed for amplifying global financial turmoil.

During the hearing, Gensler said he and other officials "should have done more to protect the American public through aggressive regulation, comprehensive regulation."

Lawmakers, including Sen. Tom Harkin who heads the Senate Agriculture Committee, pressed Gensler on whether he could commit to regulating the same financial instruments he once worked to exempt from oversight.

"With our current economic crisis, it is painfully clear that our nation's financial system requires a much stronger and more effective regulatory scheme, and it is important that we have an effective leader at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission," Harkin said in a statement on Monday.

"I am hopeful that he will lead effectively in reforming and restoring regulation of trading in futures and other derivatives contracts," he said.

Gensler also has supported position limits on physical commodities, said that clearing should be mandatory for standardized over-the-counter derivatives and opposed a merger of the CFTC and the Securities and Exchange Commission, the regulator of equities markets.

The CFTC has been criticized for not doing enough to monitor trading volatility when a range of commodities, particularly oil, were roaring to record highs in 2008.

AUDIO: Weekly Market Commentary w/ Jim Daven (Mar. 9-13)

We're talking with Jim Daven, market analyst with Commercial Grain Inc. in Conway, Ark.

We'll start with grains. Jim, is this week's market action an indication of a turn-around?




Taking a quick look at rice at cotton. Jim, why is medium-grain rice at such a premium compared with long grain?




Finally, looking at the livestock sector. Jim, should livestock markets be benefiting from recent low grain prices?




Thanks, Jim! We'll look forward to talking with you again next week.