The United States has secured two deals involving the Panama Canal after months of back and forth over the key waterway.
In last night’s cabinet meeting with the President, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth shared that the Panama Canal Authority has agreed to allow U.S. military vessels to pass through first and free.
A memorandum of understanding has also been signed between the two countries to secure the Panama Canal from Chinese influence.
A military base for both the U.S. and Panama has been established, the Defense Secretary went on to describe Panama’s President as very complimentary of the U.S., calling him a great ally.
More than 40% of the United States container traffic, worth nearly $270 billion, passes through the canal each year.
USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service says U.S. agricultural exports to Vietnam reached $4.7 billion in 2025, making the United States the country’s second-largest agricultural supplier.
Mexico remained the central buyer in the latest USDA export sales report, while China provided support for soybeans, sorghum, cotton, pork, and cattle hides.
USDA’s July WASDE report projects the smallest U.S. wheat crop since 1970, tighter corn stocks, stronger soybean exports, larger cotton supplies, and higher cattle prices.
Attention now shifts toward the annual 25 million metric ton benchmark, equal to about 919 million bushels, for 2026 through 2028.
Cattle futures eased as traders weighed inflation and consumer demand, while robust auction activity under tight herd supplies and new export opportunities continued to support the beef outlook.
Markets await USDA’s July WASDE report as analysts monitor global corn production, China’s soybean demand, weather, and shifting trade dynamics.
