Corn futures jumped above $5 per bushel, hitting their highest level since July 2023 as mounting concerns over US crop yields pointed to tighter supplies. The Pro Farmer Crop Tour recently estimated the 2026 US corn yield at 173.2 bushels per acre, well below the USDA’s latest forecast of 180.7 bushels, while production was projected at 15.34 billion bushels. The bearish supply outlook was reinforced by the USDA’s latest crop report, which showed the share of corn rated good-to-excellent falling three percentage points to 57% for the week ended August 23. Weather remains a key concern, with heat stress and excessive rainfall affecting parts of the Midwest and potentially limiting yields ahead of harvest. Meanwhile, US corn export inspections remain strong, with cumulative shipments up 26% from a year earlier despite a recent easing in weekly shipments to 1.3 million tones. Elsewhere, disruptions to Black Sea grain shipments continued to raise concerns over global supplies.