Markets To Watch Today

Soybeans: Multi-month lows were reached yesterday in Soybean futures contracts, as news on improved weather conditions in the Midwest developed. Most active November Soybean contracts, which is the fall harvest, dropped 15 cents, closing at $5.82 per bushel. The front month August Soybean contracts dropped 14.25 cents, closing at $5.6325

Copper: Even with the start of a strike at Escondida in Chile, which is the largest Copper producing mine in the world, Copper prices dropped yesterday. Analysts say that the strike is already reflected in the price of Copper and at this point everyone is waiting to see how long the strike lasts. The September Copper contract closed down 2.2 cents at $3.6105 a pound.

Crude Oil: Closure of Prudhoe Bay's pipeline, which represents about 8% of the total U.S. output or 400,000 barrels a day of production, caused Crude Oil prices to achieve their biggest one day percentage gain in more than four months. Crude Oil prices reached as high as $77.30 before settling at $76.98, up $2.22 or 3%. Crude Oil prices have risen 26% this year alone.