Corn Futures Rise on Strong Export Demand During Friday Morning Quotes

fomo_fighter · 2026-01-20T23:01:56+00:00

Corn prices are seeing slight gains following a decline, driven by significant export sales data that show a surge in international demand, particularly from Mexico and South Korea, ahead of the upcoming holiday.

fomo_fighter

2026-01-20 23:01:56

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Corn prices are displaying modest upward momentum during Friday morning trading, with futures gaining 1 to 2 cents across the board. This reversal comes after Thursday’s session saw contracts slip 1 to 2 cents in the nearby months. Open interest expanded by 14,050 contracts on Thursday, suggesting growing trader engagement in the market. The national cash corn price stands at $3.82 1/2, reflecting a 1 1/2 cent decline from the previous close.

Export Sales Surge Outpaces Year-Over-Year Comparison

USDA export sales data released Thursday revealed a significant spike in corn commitments. The week ending January 8 saw total sales of 1.14 MMT for the 2025/26 crop year—more than triple the previous week’s volume and marking a 3-week high. Notably, these sales exceeded the same period last year by 11.3%, indicating strengthened international demand. Mexico emerged as the leading buyer, securing 265,800 MT, while Japan received 210,800 MT and Taiwan took 133,400 MT. Additional sales of 1,270 MT were earmarked for 2026/27 delivery. Overnight purchases added another 130,000 MT from South Korean importers, underscoring sustained appetite for U.S. corn supplies.

Futures Contracts Reflect Mixed Price Action

The contract curves displayed varied performance in Friday morning trading sessions:

March 2026 Corn closed Thursday at $4.20 1/4, down 1 3/4 cents, and is currently up 2 cents as of the morning quote.

May 2026 Corn finished the prior session at $4.27 3/4, down 2 cents, and has turned up 1 3/4 cents this morning.

July 2026 Corn closed at $4.34, down 2 cents, with morning gains of 1 1/2 cents reflected in the latest Friday morning quotes.

The market momentum appears to be shifting as the strong export sales data gains traction among traders, providing support ahead of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday closure on Monday. Markets will resume evening trading Monday.

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