Soybean futures hovered around $11.50 per bushel, trading near five-week lows as market participants adjusted positions ahead of this week’s USDA crop report. The release will feature the first survey-based estimate of 2026 US soybean yields along with updated harvested acreage figures, both of which could significantly reshape expectations for overall crop size and available supplies.
At the same time, weather conditions have turned less supportive. Warmer, drier weather across parts of the Midwest has heightened concerns about pod filling during August, injecting additional uncertainty into US yield prospects.
The USDA recently confirmed a private sale of 132,000 metric tons of US soybeans to China for delivery in the 2026/27 marketing year, but this deal did little to counter the prevailing bearish sentiment on supply. Traders also remained focused on developments in the Black Sea region, where the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to threaten grain export routes. Nevertheless, expectations for another large harvest from the area are still exerting downward pressure on prices.
