The Ranch Closing Markets — Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026
Wheat and cattle futures led Thursday’s trade higher, while corn backed away from Wednesday’s rally and soybeans finished with modest gains.
Corn: December corn closed at $5.33 1/2, down about 3 cents. Corn faded as traders balanced strong new-crop export sales against improving harvest prospects and profit-taking after Wednesday’s sharp move higher.
Soybeans: November soybeans settled near $12.68, up about 2 cents. Strong new-crop export demand helped keep beans in positive territory, with weekly sales running well ahead of year-ago levels.
Chicago Wheat: December Chicago soft red winter wheat finished at $7.60 3/4, up about 12 1/2 cents. Wheat extended its rally as disruptions to Black Sea grain movement and improved U.S. export demand kept buyers active.
Kansas City HRW Wheat: December Kansas City hard red winter wheat closed at $8.22, up about 13 1/4 cents. HRW wheat followed the broader wheat complex higher on export concerns and continued uncertainty surrounding Black Sea supplies.
Live Cattle: October live cattle settled near $212.92, up about $2.15. Cattle futures rebounded strongly as the market recovered from recent selling, with tight U.S. cattle supplies continuing to provide underlying support.
Feeder Cattle: September feeder cattle closed near $322.45, up about $3.45. Feeders posted another strong recovery session after the sharp losses earlier in the week.
Lean Hogs: October lean hogs finished near $80.62, down about 27 cents. Hogs were the weak spot in the livestock complex, slipping modestly while cattle futures moved sharply higher.
Market figures reflect Thursday’s latest available closing futures data and are subject to exchange revisions.