Asian Stocks Sink as Apple Price Hikes Spark AI Valuation Fears, South Korea and Japan Lead Selloff 
SpaceX Eyes Starlink Mobile Phone Service to Challenge Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile 
S&P Affirms Brazil’s BB Credit Rating with Stable Outlook Amid Fiscal Challenges 
Pelosi Discloses Major Intel and Uber Call Option Purchases Worth Up to $6 Million 
Trump Requests $11 Billion More in Farm Aid as Rising Costs Pressure U.S. Farmers 
Wall Street Ends Mixed as Micron Surges, Apple Drops After Price Hikes 
Trump Orders DOJ Investigation Into Exxon, Chevron Over High Gas Prices 
Bessent Says U.S. Must Strengthen Supply Chains and Economic Security 
Johns Hopkins University Lays Off 110 Employees as Federal Research Funding Declines 
Australian Household Spending Rebounds Strongly in May as Travel and Dining Drive Consumer Growth 
Oil Prices Drop as Strait of Hormuz Shipping Recovers 
Japan Signals Preference for Low Interest Rates as BOJ Policy Debate Intensifies 
Iran Attack in Strait of Hormuz Pushes Oil Prices Higher 
US Dollar Slips After PCE Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
NATO Chief Tries to Ease Trump Alliance Dispute 
US Supreme Court Strikes Down Hawaii Gun Carry Law on Private Property 
Australia Jobs Growth Strengthens Rate Hike Outlook 
U.S. crop shipments to China are beginning to accelerate again after months of stagnation caused by a tense tariff dispute, with at least six bulk vessels scheduled to load soybeans at Gulf Coast terminals through mid-December. According to shipping data reviewed by Reuters, a seventh vessel has already departed—the first U.S. soybean shipment to China since May—signaling a potential turnaround in agricultural trade flows.
The renewed activity follows late-October trade discussions between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea. The White House stated that Beijing vowed to purchase 12 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans by year-end, although China has not publicly confirmed this commitment. Even so, U.S. farmers and grain exporters, who have been hit hard by declining prices and reduced demand, are closely watching the recent uptick in shipments for signs of market recovery.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins recently reaffirmed expectations for a trade agreement with China, noting that the administration plans to unveil a farmer aid package next week to help offset losses stemming from prolonged trade disruptions. USDA data shows Chinese buyers booked nearly 2 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans last month for the 2025/26 marketing year, which ends in August 2026. However, total commitments still fall short of pre-trade-war levels, when China dominated global soybean imports and heavily relied on U.S. supplies.
Soybean futures have hovered near five-year lows due to China’s reduced purchasing activity, but the latest shipping schedule suggests a possible rebound. Vessels including the Tokugawa, Katagalan Brave, RB Eden, Hua Xing Hai, Donna Alexandra, and SSI Dominion are either loading or expected to load soybeans within the next two weeks.
Shipments of U.S. sorghum to China have also resumed for the first time since March. The Bungo Queen is currently loading at a Texas Gulf terminal, while another vessel, the YM Navigator, is slated to load next week in the Pacific Northwest. These renewed crop movements signal cautious optimism for U.S. agricultural exporters as they look toward a more stable trade environment.
