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Futures File

Crude oil consolidates August Crude Oil Futures have climbed back to $82/brl completing a $10/brl rally from June 4 to June 28. The initial rally was sharp but the last six trading sessions have been sideways with a range of $82-$80. None of the recent trade action is all that uncommon or surprising but it is a crossroads of sorts. The contract high for August crude oil is $85.27/brl set back on April 12 of this year. New contract highs could raise eyebrows and concerns over consumer inflation returning which has recently shown signs of finally retreating. The great debate The ...

Futures File

Killers of the flour move July KC wheat futures gained $1.75/bushel (30%) from April 18 to May 28. The rally started with dry adverse conditions in U.S. wheat country as well as Russia and kicked into high gear when a late frost hit several key Russian production areas. Since May 28 the July KC wheat contract has dropped $1.66/bushel from the highs of $7.46, back to $5.80 last Friday, which is very close to where the rally started from on April 18. Commodities are notorious for “taking the stairs up and the elevator down,” but even the most grizzled, veteran wheat traders are ...

Ward County Real Estate Transactions

May 2024 – 13001 2nd St. NW Lot 61, 1978 manufactured home, Robert Crawford to Tara Mark, $4,100. – 13001 2nd St. NW Lot 64, 1978 manufactured home, Robert Crawford to Brandee Murray, $500. – 604 800 31st Ave. SE, Minot, 1999 manufactured home, Reginald Parker to Michael and Jackie Howard, $100,000. – 405 1st Ave., Burlington, 1950 single family home, Total Property Solutions LLC to Adam Zuck, $140,000. – 39301 520th St. NW, Kenmare, 1950 single family home, Dennis Eymann to Derek and Ashlee Patteson, $225,000. – 417 Pleasant Ave. S, Surrey, 1955 single family ...

FUTURES FILE: May Consumer Price Index numbers unchanged

The May 2024 CPI numbers were released on Wednesday and monthly CPI was unchanged month on month and up 3.3% over the last 12 months. That is the lowest monthly inflation number in two years. It also marks exactly one year of stable yearly inflation that has stayed between 3 and 4%. It is still not the desired 2% rate that historical norms and the Fed are shooting for. The debate over cutting interest rates this year and whether it should be one or three seem to be talking points that are just being repeated to have something to talk about. The effective interest rate set by the Fed ...

FUTURES FILE: Pork price collapse brings frustrations

The month of May can be a frustrating month for hog traders. The basic seasonal pattern for hog prices is higher in the summer months (June-July) and lower in the fall/winter (October-December). As temperatures heat up in the summer, hogs spend more energy keeping cool and eating less. Cold winter temperatures have less of an effect as most finishing operations are confined, allowing the pigs to pack on the pounds with ease. These summertime premiums and winter discounts are built into the futures price structure at any given point in the year, no matter when you look, which means ...

BUILDING PERMITS

May 2024 – C-Block Construction 1, Jetman Builders, 5205, 5207, 5221 and 5223 15th Ave. SE, twin homes with attached garages, each $54,320. – Beth Ann Aisenbery, Mindt Construction, 20 Rolling HIlls Dr., single family home with attached garage, $319,708. – Andrea Monson, Four Seasons Construction, 1390 61st St. SW, pole barn with living quarters, $473,000. – Western Village MHP, RD Land Development, 1852 16th St. SW, Lot 73, mobile home-used piers, $1,200. – Western Village MHP, RD Land Development, 1852 16th St. SW, Lots 33, 26, 15, 21, 24, 29, 32, 61, 63, 68, 75, ...