Corn Prices Edge Up in Early Friday Trading

Corn Futures Edge Up in Early Friday Trading

Friday morning has seen corn futures post modest increases of 1 to 2 cents. This follows Thursday’s session, where front-month contracts slipped by 1 to 2 cents. Preliminary open interest climbed by 14,050 contracts on Thursday. The CmdtyView national average cash corn price dipped 1 ½ cents, settling at $3.82 1/2.

Markets will be closed on Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, with trading set to resume on Monday evening.

Export Activity and Sales Highlights

The USDA reported two private corn export sales totaling 500,302 metric tons to undisclosed destinations during the latest reporting period, including 260,000 metric tons bound for Japan.

According to Thursday’s USDA Export Sales report, 1.14 million metric tons of 2025/26 corn were sold in the week ending January 8. This figure is more than three times higher than the previous week, marks a three-week high, and is 11.3% above sales from the same period last year. Mexico led purchases with 265,800 metric tons, followed by Japan at 210,800 metric tons and Taiwan at 133,400 metric tons. An additional 1,270 metric tons were booked for the 2026/27 marketing year.

Overnight, South Korean buyers secured 130,000 metric tons of corn through private transactions.

Recent Corn Futures and Cash Prices

• March 2026 Corn: Settled at $4.20 1/4, down 1 3/4 cents; currently up 2 cents.
• Nearby Cash Corn: Priced at $3.82 1/2, down 1 1/2 cents.
• May 2026 Corn: Closed at $4.27 3/4, down 2 cents; currently up 1 3/4 cents.
• July 2026 Corn: Ended at $4.34, down 2 cents; currently up 1 1/2 cents.