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That was funds’ fifth consecutive week selling CBOT wheat, meaning they sold even as Russia pulled out of the Ukraine export deal at the end of October. Wheat futures have shed more than 1% in the last four sessions, ending at $8.18-1/2 per bushel on Monday. Money managers’ gross CBOT wheat longs are the lightest for the date since 2008, and their shorts are largely average. Through Nov. 8, money managers cut their net long in CBOT corn futures and options to 237,662 contracts from 271,960 a week earlier. Managed money net position in Chicago wheat futures and optionsKaren Braun is a market analyst for Reuters.

☆ Republicans in disarray as McConnell faces a leadership challenge, McCarthy scrounges for votes to become speaker, and Trump seeks to stake his claim for 2024
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( John L. Dorman | Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Republicans last week faltered in producing the red wave election they had sought for over a year. McConnell now faces a leadership challenge, while McCarthy is looking for votes to lead the House. And on Tuesday, Scott informed colleagues that he would challenge McConnell, who since leading the Senate GOP caucus in 2007 has retained strong support within the party. The House Republican Conference on Tuesday voted 188-31 in favor of McCarthy leading the caucus over conservative challenger Andy Biggs of Arizona, but the California lawmaker will need 218 votes to win the Speaker's gavel next year. Republicans, already trying to navigate the new landscape on Capitol Hill, will have a lot to figure out as the 2024 presidential election looms.

☆ FTX's blowup is a turning point for Wall Street's crypto adoption journey
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

But first, where does Wall Street go from here? A warning sign for Wall Street to get out now before it's in too deep. Insider's Rebecca Ungarino and Danielle Walker examined what the knock-on effects of FTX's blowup mean for Wall Street's crypto plans. A key part of Wall Street's adoption of crypto was working with intermediaries bridging the gap between the two worlds. Read more on how FTX's blow up might impact Wall Street' long-term crypto plans.

Over the five reports from August to January, the trade’s January corn yield misses are typically second-largest after August. Corn yield in 2018 and 2020 were unexpectedly revised sharply lower in January, though the seasons were very different. There is a very slight tendency for higher corn and soy yields in November to result in higher yields again in January, and vice versa, but the bias is probably too weak for reliability without additional statistics. U.S. corn and soybean yields - November to JanuaryThe November-January decade trend for soybean yields is evenly split five apiece, and both great and unsuccessful growing seasons sit on either side. Chinese corn, soybean and wheat imports and consumption were also unchanged despite demand concerns driven by mixed messaging on Beijing’s post-pandemic strategy.

The preliminary targets for 2023 corn and soy plantings and yields resemble the year-ago estimates. A year ago, USDA’s 2022 corn and soy acreages started at 92 million and 87.5 million as corn prices were favorable versus soybeans, but high input costs perhaps prevented an aggressive corn estimate. CBOT November soybeans to December cornBut 2022 corn acres fell well short of expectations starting with March intentions, likely because the trade was overestimating the number of available row crop acres. 2023 YIELDSFocus will soon shift to 2023, and USDA’s corn trend yield of 181.5 bpa could already be labeled as controversial. But just for fun, the agency exactly 10 years ago slated 2022 corn yield at 181, the same number shown a year ago.

Crop Watch fields were harvested within the last week, all corn, and two of them fell short of expectations, consistent with this year’s trend. The North Dakota corn ended at 2.75, down a quarter-point from expectations but above last year’s 2. The 11-field average, unweighted 2022 Crop Watch corn yield ends at 3.57, down from 3.7 a week ago. Crop Watch yield scores 2022SIGHTS ON 2023More than half of the Crop Watch producers said they have already purchased seed for 2023 and an even larger share said they had priced next year’s inputs. Most of the Crop Watch producers are in rotation-heavy areas, but acres in North Dakota and Kansas can swing the pendulum.

☆ From Teslas to BMWs, cars are piling up on land and at sea in German port of Bremerhaven
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Lori Ann Larocco | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Krisztian Bocsi | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesThe Port of Bremerhaven, the main roll on/roll off port in Germany and one of the largest automobile hubs in the world, is experiencing gridlock. He said car imports into Bremerhaven from the U.S. and Mexico are operating on a timeline of months. Bremerhaven is Europe's fourth-largest containership port, with annual capacity over 5 million TEU [twenty-foot equivalent unit] containers. Another UK strike nearsAt the Port of Liverpool in the U.K., a fourth strike is set for November 14-21 if no deal with port management is reached. Braun told CNBC that since these strikes are well organized there is time in advance to plan and circumvent the port, diverting trade elsewhere.

☆ How Diverse Are the Candidates in the Midterm Elections?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( Maggie Astor | Eleanor Lutz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +11 min

The House of RepresentativesThere are at least 403 people of color, women or nonbinary candidates running for seats in the House of Representatives in Tuesday’s midterm elections. Incumbent Democrat Republican White men women Black men women Hispanic men women Other and multiple race men womenThere are 11 Senate candidates who are Black this year. Democrat Black candidates Republican Ga. Raphael Warnock Ala. Will Boyd Ark. Incumbent Democrat Republican White men women Black men women Other and multiple race men womenThere are 25 women nominated for governor — 16 Democrats and nine Republicans. Democrat Black candidates Republican Ala. Yolanda Flowers Ark.

☆ French lawmaker accused of racist comment in Parliament
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

The president of the lower house of the French Parliament, Yaël Braun-Pivet, subsequently suspended the legislative session. Charities helping the migrants have appealed to the French government to take them in or help find a solution. Party spokesman Victor Chabert said de Fournas was referring to migrants at sea in his Africa remark and not, as some in French media wondered, to his fellow lawmaker. Reacting to the event, French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said that “racism has no place in our democracy.”She said the chamber “will have to take sanctions” over de Fournas’ remark without elaborating what those might be. National Rally’s leader, Marine Le Pen, lost her second bid for the French presidency to Macron in April.

☆ Fact Check-Dietary supplement bill would not let FDA ‘ban’ supplements, herbs
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A proposed bill that calls for dietary supplement manufacturers to list their products with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is being misconstrued online by users who claim it will give the FDA new power to approve or ban supplements. The FDA can take action to remove dangerous or illegal supplements from the market, but it cannot approve or ban products before they are marketed. “Currently, dietary supplement companies are not required to provide this information to FDA, leaving the agency - and consumers writ large - without vital information needed to ensure safety and transparency into the dietary supplement marketplace.”VERDICTMissing context. The proposed bill would require dietary supplement manufacturers to report information about their products to the FDA. It would not give the FDA a new power to approve or ban products before they are marketed.

☆ Grégoire de Fournas: French parliamentary session halted by lawmaker's shout "Go back to Africa"
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Xiaofei Xu | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

A rightwing French lawmaker has caused uproar by shouting “Go back to Africa” during a Black lawmaker’s comments at a parliamentary session broadcast to the public on Thursday. Grégoire de Fournas, parliamentary representative from the National Rally (RN) party, interrupted Carlos Martens Bilongo, a representative from the far-left party France Unbowed (LFI) during a session of the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament. De Fournas interrupted, shouting “go back to Africa.”Chaos immediately ensued in the chamber, leading Yaël Braun-Pivet, President of the National Assembly, to temporarily suspend the session. Bilongo and his party have described the shout as a racist personal attack, though de Fournas’ party has argued that the interjection was actually intended for the migrants under discussion. Mathilde Panot, leader of the far-left France Unbowed group at the National Assembly, has demanded that de Fournas face the toughest punishment for a French lawmaker — expulsion.

☆ Taylor Swift holds all top 10 spots in Billboard Hot 100 as she announces first major tour in nearly 5 years
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Jack Stebbins | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Taylor Swift performs on the stage in concert at Mercedes-Benz Arena on May 30, 2014 in Shanghai, China. Taylor Swift said Tuesday she's heading back out on tour, as she occupies all of the top 10 spots of the Billboard Hot 100 with songs from her new album "Midnights." "Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour" is scheduled for 27 dates at U.S. stadiums beginning in March. Along with "Midnights," Swift has yet to tour with her albums "Folklore" and "Evermore" which were released in 2021. She also released "Red (Taylor's Version)" and "Fearless (Taylor's Version)" the same year, as she looks to reclaim the rights to her early works.

China remains integral in the success or failure of U.S. corn, soy and other agricultural exports, and corn is currently carrying the biggest burden of proof. Although recent U.S. soy sales to China have weakened, the top buyer has been propping up the numbers by comparison. CORN AND OTHER GRAINAt just 14.1 million tonnes, U.S. corn sales as of Oct. 20 are dismal compared with recent years and expectations. Chinese purchases of 3.6 million tonnes are down from 11.9 million and 10.6 million tonnes by the same date in 2021 and 2020, respectively. Export sales as of Oct. 20 totaled 11.8 million tonnes, the lowest in more than 20 years.

Brazil’s potentially record-breaking soybean crop was 34% planted as of Monday, behind last year’s 38%, and progress slowed significantly in No. The southern state was 44% planted as of Monday, the date’s slowest pace in eight years and about 12 points below average. Soybean planting progress in Parana, BrazilBut Parana’s large second corn crop, planted right after soybean harvest, is certainly at risk if the soy season becomes delayed. The Center West state is among Brazil’s most stable soybean producers as it has not harvested a poor soy crop in seven seasons. A third straight season with La Nina, the cool phase of the equatorial Pacific Ocean, should keep analysts on guard as it tends to dry out Southern Brazil during its growing season.

Ed Fischbach, on his farm in Spink County, S.D., said no to the carbon pipeline on his land. But some energy experts say safety is an issue with carbon capture pipelines — carbon dioxide doesn’t like to stay put, and the fear is that a pipeline could rupture and leak. Asked about the Mississippi leak, Hill of Summit Carbon Solutions characterized the event as tragic but anomalous. Braun says she is afraid the Summit pipeline will disturb sacred land around Whitestone Hill. Both Braun and Locke say they are happy to be forging new ties with farmers and ranchers in opposition to the Summit project.

Crop Watch corn fields were harvested last week: Nebraska and eastern Iowa. The eastern Iowa corn finished at 4.25, down a quarter-point from earlier predictions and a half-point below last year. The Nebraska corn is irrigated this year, but the producer would score his dryland corn yield around 1.5. That would be slightly above the 2020 result, which is consistent with the Crop Watch corn scores in 2022 versus 2020. REST OF HARVESTFour more Crop Watch corn fields remain.

☆ LeBron James, Kevin Durant and other big names invest in Fanatics lifestyle brand Mitchell & Ness
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Jessica Golden | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment are investing in Fanatics' lifestyle clothing brand, Mitchell & Ness. The new owners said they plan to make Mitchell & Ness "the most diverse and culturally relevant consumer brand" through their influence and status as tastemakers. Mitchell & Ness is a true classic," he said in February. "I'm proud to play a small role in bringing it back, and in some cases, introducing the authenticity and quality of the Mitchell & Ness brand to a new generation," he added. In June, Mitchell & Ness signed a rights deal to manufacture products for all 32 NHL teams.

Through Friday, CBOT soybean oil futures had risen 16% this month and Malaysian palm oil futures was up 20% as global vegetable oil supply concerns persist. Managed money net position in CBOT soybean oil futures and optionsBoth soyoil and soymeal futures notched 4% gains in the last three sessions, lifting soyoil above 70 cents per pound. Money managers in that period reduced their net long in CBOT corn futures and options by about 13,000 to 254,261 contracts. Funds’ net long in corn is larger than in the same weeks in 2021 and 2020, both of which were around 220,000 contracts. Money managers cut nearly 2,600 contracts from their CBOT wheat net short, which fell to 22,051 futures and options contracts.

Extreme fall dryness is more concerning for the U.S. winter wheat crop since there is less recovery time. However, the recent spread of dryness is alarming, as Midwest drought coverage was just 10% in mid-September versus 43% this week. Summer weather was largely supportive, and Nebraska’s 2021 corn yield was an all-time high. Fall of 2003 was one of the driest on record, and the 2004 corn yield was among the most impressive ever. And despite the terribly dry finish to 2012, the 2013 U.S. corn yield was respectable given the circumstances.

NAPERVILLE, Ill., Oct 18 (Reuters) - Ukraine’s grain exports have recently increased to within striking distance of the year-ago numbers, but that could be a brief phenomenon as the recent harvest is significantly smaller than last year’s record. October grain shipments through Monday of 2.12 million tonnes were just 2.4% below the same period a year earlier. Still, Ukraine’s total grain exports for the 2021-22 year ended June 30 rose 8.5% on the year, but 2022-23 is well behind last year’s pace even with the October boost. Old corn could continue padding near-term corn shipments despite an incoming harvest down 25-40% on the year. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent wheat prices to new highs as the two countries could previously account for nearly 30% of global wheat exports.

Crop Watch producers have been evaluating yield potential for their corn and soy fields on a weekly basis since early July. CORNThe third and fourth harvested Crop Watch corn fields, Indiana and southeastern Illinois, were both completed on Sunday, and the results diverged. Indiana was among the driest Crop Watch locations this summer, but soil moisture was high at the start of the season, delaying planting. Crop Watch corn fields could be completed this coming week in Nebraska, eastern Iowa and North Dakota. Photos of the Crop Watch fields can be tracked on my Twitter feed using handle @kannbwx.

☆ I’ve been following a woman around the internet. Turns out she was created by artificial intelligence.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-16 | by ( Evan Ratliff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +31 min

Even in their first efforts, the GAN images were quickly on par with those made by any other, less intelligent software. You can find the results on the Generated Photos site, where you can filter by ethnicity, age, sex, eye color, and other attributes. Generated Photos' GANs tend to match conventional beauty standards, a product of the models that have been fed to the software. I'm not sure anyone would be surprised to find fake images accompanying testimonials on an Estonian bitcoin exchange or an online CBD seller. Are they real people deploying fake images, or fake people deploying fake images?

U.S. corn yield is now nearly 10 bushels per acre lower than the earliest projections, though the trade has anticipated that decline very well. Analysts have nearly nailed the last two corn yield estimates, their best-known performance for these months. When considering all of the past 20 years, U.S. soybean yield in January was lower than in October eight times. This is the third month in a row where USDA’s corn yield is lower than in the previous month. In the last 20 years, U.S. corn yield was lower in both September and October four other times, most recently in 2020.

Amazon’s second Prime Day-like sale this year is now on — for the first time in Prime Day history. Prime Early Access Sale: The best deals on products at their lowest price everBelow, we’re sharing the best products — based on our previous coverage and reporting — that are at their lowest price ever during the Early Access Prime Sale. 4.7-star average rating from 522,925 reviews on AmazonAmazon's smart plug is designed to be compact so it won't block a second wall outlet, the brand says. It has a 5,000mAh battery that, according to the brand, should last for more than a day on a single charge. 4.4-star average rating from 618 reviews on AmazonUnlike razors that only trim hair at the skin’s surface, epilators remove hair from the roots.

The Amazon Prime Early Access Sale has entered its second and final day and deals are still going strong. In fact, we're seeing excellent all-time low prices that beat out the best deals we found during the first Amazon Prime Day in July. For more deals, check out our main Prime Day deals liveblog, deals under $50 roundup, and up-to-the-minute Prime lightning deals coverage. Currently down to just under $100, this is the best price we've seen for it in months. Amazon Luna ControllerAmazon$39.99 from Amazon Originally $69.99 Save 43%Amazon's Wi-Fi-enabled controller is designed for the Amazon Luna cloud gaming service.

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