SW: Weak Wheat Prices Are Here to StayCBOT: Wheat ( CBOT:ZW1! )
In stark contrast to the rising stock market, most agricultural commodities have lost ground in 2023. In the Grain & Oilseeds market, CBOT Soybean (ZS) finished the year at $12.73 per bushel, down 14.7% year-on-year. CBOT Corn (ZC) closed at $4.63/bushel, down 30.8% YOY. CBOT Wheat (ZW) settled at $5.93/bushel, down 24.5%.
In the Livestock & Meat market, CME Group Lean Hog (HE) lost 23.2%, while Pork Cutout (PRK) was down 13.0% YOY. Live Cattle (LE) was the only exception with a 10.3% gain.
Despite bad weather, supply chain bottleneck, rising cost of borrowing, and escalating geopolitical conflicts in Europe and the Mideast, farmers around the world managed to produce higher outputs of grain and meat. With food demand remaining weak, this surplus supply pushed the prices of food ingredients downward.
The WASDE Report
Today, we will focus on wheat, which saw huge price volatility in the past five years. According to the latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report, published by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) last week:
• Global wheat output for 2022/23 was 789.17 million metric tons, up 1.2% YOY;
• Output for 2023/24 was estimated at 783.01 in December but revised up to 784.91;
• Global supplies are raised by 3.6 million tons to 1,056.5 million on higher beginning stocks and production.
In the US, average yield per harvested acre was 46.5 bushels in 2022/23, up 5.0% YOY.
• The WASDE estimated yield to grow 4.5% more to 48.6 bushels in 2023/24;
• Across all wheat varieties, total US production was estimated at 1,646 million metric tons in 2021/22, 1,650 in 2022/23 (+0.2%) and 1,812 in 2023/24 (+9.8%);
• The 2023/24 season-average farm price is forecasted by $0.10 per bushel lower at $7.20, based on prices received to date and expectations for the remainder of 2023/24.
Quick Review of My Previous Trade Idea on Wheat Futures
A rule of thumb for agricultural commodities: Their market prices are very sensitive to supply changes. Due to weather perils, deceases, shipping route blockage, among others, significant uncertainties surround food availability in terms of quantity and quality. On the other hand, demands for agricultural commodities are relatively stable, and have a smaller effect on price changes.
In February 2022, the breakout of Russia/Ukraine conflict sent wheat prices up 70% within two weeks, from $7 to $12 a bushel. The two countries accounted for about 28% of the global wheat export market. Investors panicked that geopolitical conflicts could cut off the wheat supply.
It turned out that the fear was overblown. Despite the ongoing conflict, Russia and Ukraine agreed to keep the Black Sea grain shipping routes open. By July 2022, wheat prices were back to $7.50 a bushel, down 60%.
On June 2022, I published a trade idea on Long Strangle options strategy on Wheat Futures. Below is a follow-up report on how that wheat options trade performed:
Trading with CBOT Wheat Futures
The World Bank forecasts the global economic growth to slow for the third year in a row — from 2.6% in 2023 to 2.4% in 2024, which is almost three-quarters of a percentage point below the GDP growth average of the 2010s.
Slowing economy points to a weak demand for wheat this year. Consequently, the expected wheat supply increase would put further pressure on wheat prices.
Another supporting evidence: I observe that in the past five years, wheat price trend closely tracks that of the US CPI for food (see title chart). Food CPI peaked in August 2022 at 11.4%, but it is sharply down to 2.7% in December 2023. During the period of runaway inflation, food prices were a major contributor to inflation, which drove headline CPI and core CPI higher. Now, food inflation is below both.
The January 16th CFTC Commitments of Traders report (COT) shows that “Managed Money” holds 73,485 long positions and 142,060 short positions on wheat futures. The long/short ratio of 1:2 indicates that speculative traders are bearish on wheat prices.
Last Friday, the March wheat contract (ZWH4) was settled at $5.93 per bushel. In my opinion, wheat prices could fall further to test $5 a bushel, a level not seen since 2020.
Each wheat contract has a notional value of 5,000 bushels, or $29,662 at current price. To acquire 1 contract, a trader is required to deposit an initial margin of $2,500.
Hypothetically, if futures price falls by 50 cents a bushel, a short futures position would gain $2,500 (= 0.50 x 5000). Using the $2,500 initial margin as cost base, a short trader could realize a theoretical return of 100%, excluding commission.
If crop yield is to grow less than expected, or if wheat demand increases more than expected, wheat futures could rise, and a short position will stand to lose money.
Happy Trading.
Disclaimers
*Trade ideas cited above are for illustration only, as an integral part of a case study to demonstrate the fundamental concepts in risk management under the market scenarios being discussed. They shall not be construed as investment recommendations or advice. Nor are they used to promote any specific products, or services.
CME Real-time Market Data help identify trading set-ups and express my market views. If you have futures in your trading portfolio, you can check out on CME Group data plans available that suit your trading needs www.tradingview.com
