USDA's weekly export sales report is due out at 7:30 a.m. CDT Thursday, the same time as weekly U.S. jobless claims and an update of the U.S. Drought Monitor. A report on U.S. existing home sales in September and the Conference Board's index of U.S. leading indicators are due out at 9 a.m., followed by the Energy Department's weekly natural gas storage report at 9:30 a.m. Traders will keep an eye on weather and outside market news.
Weather
Ahead of a change in the upper-level pattern, temperatures are rising east of the Rockies from the cold conditions we have seen the last few days there. It will continue to be fairly dry outside of Michigan where some lake-effect showers will shut off later Thursday. The dryness will promote harvest and fieldwork, but increasing winds could be concerning for fires, especially in the Plains.