USDA's export sales report is due out at 7:30 a.m. CDT Thursday, along with weekly U.S. jobless claims, a report on U.S. productivity in the first quarter and an update of the U.S. Drought Monitor. The Energy Department will release its weekly report of natural gas inventory at 9:30 a.m. CDT. Trader attention will stay glued to the latest weather forecasts.
Weather
Cool and dry conditions will cover northern and central crop areas Thursday. Precipitation will be confined to showers in portions of the eastern Midwest. The cooler pattern is unfavorable for crop progress. There is also an extreme wildfire threat in the northwestern Midwest and northeastern Plains later Thursday.