Corn ends the week at $4.56; crude up 3.8% to $103
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Corn ended the week at $4.56, down 4½ cents, and soybeans edged up to $12.56½. Grains barely moved, but crude gained 3.8% to $103.27. That is the number that reaches your fuel and fertilizer bills next season, not the corn price.
Only on AGSIST
On Friday, Oct 23, 1,695 of the 1,817 elevators AGSIST reads posted a lower cash corn bid than Thursday, 54 a higher one; 161 changed their basis, 61 weaker and 100 stronger.
68 unchanged; median change 4¢ lower. Biggest state move: Iowa, 4¢ lower (458 elevators).
On Friday, Oct 23, 498 of the 1,599 elevators AGSIST reads posted a lower cash soybean bid than Thursday, 152 a higher one; 258 changed their basis, 160 weaker and 98 stronger.
949 unchanged; median change 0¢. Biggest state move: Michigan, 1¢ lower (16 elevators).
Corn basis on Oct 25 ran from 55¢ over December futures in Texas to 87¢ under in North Dakota, state medians of the elevators AGSIST read at 5:27 a.m. CT.
Elevators behind each median: Texas 17, North Dakota 45. 15 states with 15 or more.
Counted by code from the elevator boards AGSIST reads itself, not by the writer of this briefing. A day's change is each board's last posted bid against its own on the trading day before, same delivery period. Quote it with the date and a link to agsist.com/daily/2026-10-25. How this briefing is made · Monthly: AGSIST Cash Bid Index
Corn harvest price so far: $4.82 vs $4.62 projected (+4.3%), 17 of 22 trading days in.
Soybeans harvest price so far: $12.74 vs $11.09 projected (+14.9%), 17 of 22 trading days in.
Ours: the average of the daily CBOT settles through Oct 23, figured the way USDA RMA does. Window and projected price: USDA RMA, as of Oct 24. Oct 1-31 window, most states. Harvest price tracker →
- Dec corn fell 4½ cents to $4.56 and Nov soybeans gained 3½ cents to $12.56½.
- USDA admitted a data error in its September corn report, but the 181.2-bushel yield forecast stands.
- Grain merchandisers are carrying bigger inventories and higher freight costs, which strains their working capital.
- October live cattle gained 0.1% to $229.875 and feeders rose 0.6% to $348.325.
- Cash strength is driving the climb, though kill numbers are rising.
- September placements and marketings were the lowest for the month in series history, per the October Cattle on Feed report.
- WTI crude gained 3.8% to $103.27 as the Iran war keeps tanker freight at record highs.
- Natural gas fell 5.6% to $2.64, near the bottom of its 52-week range.
- Diesel and fertilizer costs follow crude, so higher oil matters for next season's input bills.
- Monday, Oct 26, 3:00 p.m. CTCrop Progress. Harvest pace could add to the pressure on basis, which sits near seasonal lows.
- OngoingCorn holding $4.56 versus a break lower would show whether big stocks are winning.
- Thursday, Oct 29, 7:30 a.m. CTExport sales. Soybean sales near the 25 million ton China pace would support $12.50.