Severe drought and record heat is wreaking havoc on the mid-west food harvest. Lower farm yields and dwindling inventories have resulted in a 50% surge in corn prices over the past month with little relief in sight. But record food prices have created a boom for agricultural chemical companies. The sector is up 13% in the last month with traders are betting that higher food prices will boost demand for fertilizers. Read more about Hedge Funds Are Bullish About These Agriculture Plays
Despite spending much of the day below the 200-day moving average, the S&P 500 closed at 2986.94, just barely above the 200-day MA, thus, avoiding a marker that hasn’t occurred since last September. Read more about What the Market Wants: And the Oscar Goes to...