Monday Market Briefing - 30th March 2026

As US Infantry ships approach the war zone, America faces her ‘double or quits‘ moment, do they go in on the ground or do they walk away claiming victory? Nothing coming out of Washington suggests they have the faintest idea themselves what to do next so we just have to wait and see. Missiles launched at Israel from Houthi controlled Yemen this weekend are a stark reminder of the threat to the Red Sea/Suez shipping route which might be closed just as easily as Hormuz. Markets are of course well supplied but will stay preoccupied with the spiralling cost of road and sea freight which in turn undermines the farm-gate value of produce everywhere regardless of what futures might do. Last week closed broadly unchanged and more of the same is probably due this week.

This week sees the USDA’s prospective plantings report, in calmer times a much anticipated moment on the calendar and we might get some idea if the current crisis is likely to impact US corn numbers especially. It would take a hefty drop in acres to move sentiment and the market thinks that’s unlikely especially with an expanded ethanol mandate just announced by the US Government, but the report will be keenly watched late Tuesday.

Have a good week.