Soybean prices rose on Wednesday on the Chicago Board of Trade, hitting their highest level in five weeks.

This came after the US Department of Agriculture announced on Tuesday that it had reduced soybean planting acreage in the United States, pushing the agricultural commodity’s price to its highest since July 3.

Following the reduction in soybean planting acreage, total US soybean stocks for the upcoming 2025–2026 season are expected to fall to their lowest level in about three years.

This comes after American farmers had already cut planted acreage due to the US–China trade dispute.

It is worth noting that US President Donald Trump earlier this week called on China to quadruple its purchases of American soybeans from current levels.

Corn

In trading, December corn futures rose 0.6% to $3.97 per bushel by the close of the session.

Soybeans

November soybean futures rose 0.9% to $10.44 per bushel.

Wheat

September wheat futures rose 0.4% to $5.07 per bushel.

Gold prices rose on Wednesday as the US dollar fell against most major currencies and markets digested US inflation data and its implications for the Federal Reserve’s decision.

Government data showed that the annual growth rate of the US Consumer Price Index (CPI) held steady at 2.7% in July, below expectations for an increase to 2.8%.

The core CPI — which excludes volatile food and energy prices — rose to 3.1% in July, above expectations of a 3% increase and compared with 2.9% in June.

According to the FedWatch Tool, investors see a 99% probability of a 25-basis-point rate cut in September, compared with 94% yesterday and 57% a month ago.

Analysts also see a 61% chance of another 25-basis-point cut in October, compared with 34% a month ago, along with a 51% chance of a similar cut in December, compared with 25% a month earlier.

Elsewhere, the US dollar index fell 0.2% to 97.8 as of 20:04 GMT, after reaching a high of 98.1 and a low of 97.6.

In trading, spot gold rose 0.1% to $3,403.4 an ounce at 20:05 GMT.

Ethereum posted gains in Tuesday’s trading, rising 3% over the past 24 hours as of 1:15 p.m. Eastern Time, while Bitcoin fell 0.4% during the same period.

The rise in Ethereum today is linked to news of increased support from major investors, as BitMine Immersion Technologies announced plans to issue an additional $20 billion worth of shares, using the proceeds to purchase more Ethereum.

A New Strategy to Strengthen Crypto Asset Reserves

BitMine Immersion filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to increase the total planned stock sales by $20 billion, bringing the total value to about $24.5 billion. These funds will be directed toward purchasing more Ethereum.

The company, which brought on Tom Lee from Fundstrat as Chairman at the end of June, is betting this strategy will enhance Ethereum’s position in the digital asset market.

What’s Next for Ethereum?

After a decline in valuation over the first four months of 2025, Ethereum has seen a strong upward trend in recent months, gaining nearly 26% year-to-date. Growing government and institutional support has fueled this rise, especially after the passage of the GENIUS Act regulating stablecoins—a major boost for Ethereum since many leading stablecoins are built on its network.

While investing in Ethereum remains high-risk, key fundamentals have started to shift in its favor this year.

Not Ethereum Alone – Ripple Surges After Legal Victory and Institutional Moves

Ripple’s price jumped 11% over the past 24 hours, from $2.99 to $3.30, its highest level since July 28, supported by trading volume exceeding 300 million units, with peak turnover around 21:00 UTC on Thursday.

This surge followed the official end of the US SEC’s lawsuit against Ripple Labs, as both parties agreed to drop appeals before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, removing the legal uncertainty that has surrounded Ripple’s regulatory status since 2020. Investors see this as opening the door to greater institutional participation, particularly in the United States.

From a technical perspective, analysis points to a bullish bias, with a flag formation pattern potentially pushing prices toward targets between $8 and $15 in the long term. A return above the $3.33 support level increases the likelihood of testing the near-historic peak around $3.60.

In derivatives, there has been strong activity in Ripple options, particularly in long straddle positions that indicate expectations of heightened volatility. Additionally, Japanese firm SBI Holdings has filed to launch an ETF including Bitcoin and Ripple, which could serve as another potential support factor.

US stock indexes rose on Wednesday as markets tracked the implications of recent trade talks and inflation data.

Government data showed that the annual growth rate of the US Consumer Price Index held steady at 2.7% in July, below expectations for a rise to 2.8%.

The core inflation index — which excludes volatile food and energy prices — rose to 3.1% in July, above expectations for a rise to 3% and compared to 2.9% in June.

According to the FedWatch tool, investors now see a 99% probability of a 25-basis-point interest rate cut in September, compared to 94% yesterday and 57% a month ago.

Analysts also expect a 61% probability of another 25-basis-point cut in October, compared to 34% a month ago, along with a 51% probability of a similar cut in December, compared to 25% a month earlier.

In trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.7% (315 points) to 44,777 points as of 17:30 GMT, the S&P 500 gained 0.1% (5 points) to 6,450 points, while the Nasdaq Composite added 0.1% (5 points) to 21,685 points.