Funds' bullish CBOT bets swell further as supply fears simmer

New-crop November soybeans SX2 briefly traded below US$14 per bushel on April 1, the lowest since early February, but they reached $15.20 on Thursday before settling at $15.01-1/2. The contract high of $15.55 was set on Feb. 24.(File pic shows Soyabean exports to China. - Reuters)

NAPERVILLE, Ill.,:Speculators’ enthusiasm toward Chicago-traded grains and oilseeds crept closer to record levels last week as tighter-than-usual world stockpiles and uncertainty in Ukraine continue to support prices.

Minimal grain and oilseed shipments out of Ukraine have disrupted and even rerouted global trade, one example being China’s recent U.S. corn purchases, the first in nearly a year. Moscow suggested last week that the conflict’s end may not come soon, further spooking traders.