(March 16): Chicago soybean futures slumped more than 2% on Monday — dropping below US$12 (RM47.20) a bushel — in the face of a potential delay of US trade talks with China, the world’s top buyer of the oilseed. Soybean prices are particularly vulnerable to tensions between the two sides as China is a major buyer of American produce. A trade summit between the two leaders late last year spurred a flurry of Chinese purchases of US soybeans, following a months-long lull. Most-active soybean futures fell as much as 2.7%, the biggest intraday drop since early November, with soybean meal and oil also each declining more than 1%. The Trump administration is engaging with allies to secure the strait, raising hopes for a potential end to the blockage.

Source: The Edge Markets March 16, 2026 03:59 UTC