Monday

Funds and commercials each trying to get books balanced by first notice day in the ag markets, or use the margin clerks as leverage.  Rice up 37 1/2 cents, with 325 vs cash, and down to 661 OI in the may. Added to the mix, after all this run, the exchange has raised margins today.  Corn down 10 1/4 to 305 1/2 with more talk of ethanol demand destruction if this shutdown continues, and first notice day ahead pushing out stubborn longs.  Funds appear to be adding to an already big short, but they did the same stupid move last year at this time, to their detriment.  Planting is running a little ahead, and exports are expected to be solid again Thursday.   Beans off 3 1/4 to 829, and wheat presses 5 3/4 lower, 521.  Dow up another 341 to 23,999, and that flies in the face of the grain pressure from an extended shutdown.   I will argue that as States follow Georgia and start to reopen, we will see an increase in ethanol usage starting next week.  With crude and ethanol plants shut in, it would be a great time to stick the consumer with a supply squeeze, real or imagined, or just created.  Bonds off a point and 18 tics in churn, 180.18.