Soybean futures edge up on hopes for steady China demand
Traders watch holiday moves as US–China signals lift market
26 November 2025
1 minute read
By: Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) soybean futures inched higher on Tuesday in a day of range-bound trading after comments by President Donald Trump's administration bolstered expectations of further Chinese purchases under a bilateral trade truce, Reuters reported, citing market analysts.
Some traders said they were beginning to square positions ahead of the US Thanksgiving Day holiday on Thursday.
The absence of a signed agreement has left agricultural markets exposed to reversals in tone and policy between the United States and China, said Arlan Suderman, chief commodities economist at StoneX.
CBOT January soybeans closed 1-1/2 cents higher at $11.24-1/4 per bushel. January soymeal SMF26 ended up $2.10 at $320.40 per short ton, and January soyoil BOF26 firmed 0.13 cent to 50.65 cents per pound.
Chinese purchases of American soybeans are "right on schedule," US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday, citing an agreement for China to buy 87.5 million metric tons of the US product over the next 3-1/2 years.
The US Department of Agriculture reported net export sales of soybeans at 786,400 metric tons for the week ended October 9, within trade expectations. Two cargo vessels were en route to grain terminals near New Orleans on Monday to load China's first US soybean shipments since May, a shipping schedule showed.
Trump's comments on Monday, in which he said he had spoken to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping about topics including US farm products, also put traders' focus back on more potential demand.
