---
title: "Wheat Futures Falls as Traders Dump Long Positions — Daily Grain Highlights"
type: "News"
locale: "en"
url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/283187734.md"
description: "Wheat futures fell 1.4% to $5.98 a bushel as traders exited long positions following Iran's announcement that the Strait of Hormuz is open. Corn dropped 0.2% to $4.57, while soybeans rose 0.1% to $11.81. The market is cautious ahead of the weekend, with traders reacting to geopolitical developments. Weather forecasts indicate increased rainfall in drought-affected areas of the U.S., which may impact planting. The USDA will release key reports on grain exports and crop progress on Monday."
datetime: "2026-04-17T19:44:53.000Z"
locales:
  - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/283187734.md)
  - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/283187734.md)
  - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/283187734.md)
---

# Wheat Futures Falls as Traders Dump Long Positions — Daily Grain Highlights

By Kirk Maltais

\--Wheat for July delivery fell 1.4% to $5.98 a bushel on the Chicago Board of Trade Friday, with traders dumping long positions in grains after Iran announced that the Strait of Hormuz is open.

\--Corn for July delivery fell 0.2% to $4.57 a bushel.

\--Soybeans for July delivery rose 0.1% to $11.81 1/2 a bushel.

HIGHLIGHTS

Weak Hands: Some grain traders are moving out of long positions ahead of the weekend after Iran said the Strait of Hormuz is open for transit. "I do think today we are seeing an exodus of weak longs," Consus Ag Consulting's Karl Setzer said. Last week's CFTC Commitments of Traders report showed large reductions in long positions among managed money fund traders. The market is watching to see what headlines emerge over the weekend, Setzer said. "There are a lot of unknowns," he said. "Next Monday could be interesting."

Leading the Way: Grain futures on the CBOT recovered after declining earlier in the day, with corn paring losses and soybeans turning positive in afternoon trading. Wheat led the way down, as traders appear more willing to sell since they already hold a more sizable short position in the grain, AgResource said in a note. For the grain complex in general, the longer-term trend remains to be seen, depending on what happens with U.S.-Iran relations during the weekend.

INSIGHT

Getting a Drink: The latest weather outlook from the NOAA is showing increased rainfall in parts of the Southern and Western U.S.--areas that Thursday's Drought Monitor showed increasing drought stress. Above-average rainfall is expected in these areas over the next 8 to 14 days, said the NOAA. The more-northern Corn Belt is expected to show near-normal precipitation at that time, with the region already having adequate rainfall and little in the way of drought conditions. "U.S. weather remains mixed, with rains across the eastern Corn Belt aiding soil moisture but delaying planting, while a short drier window may allow fieldwork progress next week," Futures International's Joe Davis said in a note.

Rewind It: The reopening of Hormuz "will allow for the markets to bring back their pre-war mindset as it relates to central bank policy globally - which implies lower rates," TCW's Jerry Cudzil said. Crude prices plummeted today, with WTI down 11% to $84.50 a barrel. The decline "will allow markets to look through near-term inflation shocks," Cudzil said. Odds of at least one Fed cut by December rise to 50% from 30% Thursday on CME's FedWatch tool. A hold is priced at 50%, down from 71%.

AHEAD

\--The USDA will release its weekly Grain Export Inspections report at 11 a.m. ET Monday.

\--The USDA will release its weekly Crop Progress report at 4 p.m. ET Monday.

\--The EIA will release its Weekly Petroleum Status Update report at 10:30 a.m. ET Wednesday.

Paulo Trevisani contributed to this article.

Write to Kirk Maltais at kirk.maltais@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

April 17, 2026 15:33 ET (19:33 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

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