By Joe Stonor

A roundup of key agricultural commodity markets for the week of Jan. 12-16 by Dow Jones Newswires in Barcelona.

GRAINS & OILSEEDS:

The U.S. dollar weakened after the Department of Justice launched an investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. A softer dollar is positive for U.S. exports and, in turn, the country's agriculture markets.

Markets are halfway through what is typically the most bullish two-month stretch of the year for agricultural commodities due to South American weather risks, index funds topping up their commodities allocations and investors paying renewed attention to commodities in the new year, according to Peak Trading Research.

The United States Department of Agriculture's World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates is due out today, with traders surveyed by WSJ forecasting lower yields for corn and soybeans.

Markets await Tuesday's CPI Inflation print for December, as well as a potential Supreme Court decision on the legality of President Trump's tariff regime Wednesday.

South American weather is broadly favorable, with Brazilian rainfall supporting soybean development. Cooler temperatures in Argentina are constructive, as investors watch for signs of heat stress affecting supply, Peak Trading Research said.

Chicago wheat futures were up 1% at $5.22 a bushel in European afternoon trade Monday, while corn was up 0.3% to $4.47 a bushel. Soybean prices rose 0.2% to $10.65 a bushel.

SOFT COMMODITIES:

Arabica futures climbed last week as markets priced in added risk from U.S. intervention in Venezuela, analysts at Rabobank said, though coffee prices fell 0.9% in afternoon European trading on Monday to $3.54 a pound.

Cocoa slips 0.5% to $5,318 a ton after falling last week despite index buying, though analysts at Peak Trading Research flagged that passive funds will return for further buying this week. Above-average rains across Ivory Coast's cocoa regions boosted production outlooks for the world's biggest cocoa producer.

Write to Joe Stonor at josephmichael.stonor@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 12, 2026 12:04 ET (17:04 GMT)

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