2026.05.1415:01:51UTC+00Soybeans Fall Sharply

Soybean futures fell nearly 3% to below $12 per bushel, pulling back from the two-year high of $12.30 reached on May 13. The decline came as traders locked in profits after the recent rally driven by Tuesday’s WASDE report and as they reacted to the absence of concrete agricultural measures from the US-China summit.

Sentiment was further pressured by signs that no new large-scale Chinese purchases of US soybeans are imminent. Traders noted that China is unlikely to exceed its current commitment to buy 25 million metric tons. In recent years, China has sharply reduced its soybean imports from the United States, turning increasingly to Brazil, where lower prices and ample supplies have made it a more competitive supplier.

According to the US Department of Agriculture, the value of US agricultural exports to China fell to $8.37 billion last year, down from $24.41 billion in 2024. The USDA also projects that US soybean ending stocks will decline to 310 million bushels by the close of the 2026–2027 marketing year, compared with 340 million bushels expected at the end of the current season.