USDA's weekly export sales report is due out at 7:30 a.m. CDT Thursday along with U.S. weekly jobless claims and an update of the U.S. Drought Monitor. There are reports on U.S. existing home sales in April and the Conference Board's U.S. index of leading indicators at 9 a.m., followed by the Energy Department's weekly natural gas storage report at 9:30 a.m. Weather forecasts and any export sales news also remains important to traders.
Weather
A system moving through the North-Central U.S. and a small disturbance moving from the Southern Plains eastward will be the focus for scattered showers and thunderstorms throughout the day Thursday. Some areas of severe weather will be possible along with heavy rainfall that will make for more difficult planting conditions. Heat will be a concern across the Southern Plains as temperatures move back into the triple digits. Cold air will filter into the Northern Plains later today as the system spreads southeast across the North-Central U.S. That may lead to some snow mixing in tonight across the Northern Plains.