Wheat contracts in Chicago fell on Tuesday under pressure from expectations of long-awaited rainfall that may improve crop prospects in the drought-affected US Plains.

In contrast, corn and soybean prices rose slightly supported by the rise in crude oil prices. One grain trader in Singapore said: "There is some rain expected for the hard red winter wheat regions in the United States, and global supplies are generally sufficient at the moment."

The most active wheat contract on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) fell by 0.1% to reach $5.94 and 3/4 per bushel at 02:26 GMT. Meanwhile, corn added 0.1% to record $4.54 and 1/4 per bushel, and soybeans rose half a cent to reach $11.67 and 1/4 per bushel.

Wheat prices declined with rain forecasts in the Plains region, which may strengthen the yield opportunities for winter wheat in the heart of the US wheat belt. Meteorologists indicated that beneficial rains are expected in the eastern two-thirds of the wheat belt during the next ten days, with a lower probability in the far western third of the region.

US winter wheat crop ratings came in at 35% good to excellent in the first weekly crop report for the 2026 season issued by the US Department of Agriculture, after the markets closed on Monday, recording the lowest level for this time of year since 2023, compared to 48% in the previous year, and analysts had expected 42% according to a Reuters poll.

Oil prices continued gains on Tuesday after US President Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric toward Iran, threatening to take stronger actions if the country fails to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which is a major transit point for global oil. Grain and vegetable oil prices are often affected by energy prices, given the increasing use of agricultural products in the renewable fuel industry.

The Canadian dollar rose against its American counterpart on Tuesday, but the gains were limited after the release of disappointing domestic data, and as investors await the deadline set by American President Donald Trump for Iran to end its blockade on Gulf oil.

The Canadian currency was trading at a rise of 0.1% at 1.3900 against the American dollar, or 71.94 American cents, after it moved within a range of 1.3892 to 1.3929. The currency touched last week its lowest level in about four months at 1.3966.

Global markets entered a period of high uncertainty before the 8 PM Washington time (00:00 GMT) deadline set by Trump, as investors weigh potential scenarios from a ceasefire to a new military escalation and their effects on oil, currencies, and high-risk assets.

Aaron Hurd, portfolio manager in the currency group at State Street Global Advisors, said: "The Canadian dollar benefits from the rise in energy prices, but the United States does as well, and I believe the United States is more capable of adapting to the shock compared to Canada. We have witnessed the weakness of the Canadian dollar against the American dollar during the past few weeks, and I believe we will reverse part of that quickly if an agreement is reached. As for if there is no agreement and the situation escalates – things will remain approximately as they are."

The price of oil, which is one of the main exports for Canada, rose by 0.5% to reach $112.95 per barrel. Investors globally worry that the rise in energy prices may increase inflation and negatively affect economic growth.

Canadian economic activity declined in March for the first time in four months, while indices of price pressures rose, according to the Ivey Purchasing Managers Index data, as the seasonally adjusted index dropped to 49.7 last month compared to 56.6 in February.

It is expected that the Canadian jobs report for March, scheduled for release on Friday, will provide additional indicators about the state of the domestic economy, as economists expect the addition of 15,000 jobs after the economy lost 84,000 jobs in February.

Canadian bond yields also moved upward across the yield curve, with the yield on 10-year bonds rising by 4.6 basis points to reach 3.515%.

Aluminum prices rose on Tuesday, and the main price spread for contracts on the London Metal Exchange jumped, with the market pricing in confirmations that a smelter in the Emirates will face a long repair period after an Iranian attack that occurred late last month.

The aluminum contract for three-month delivery on the London Metal Exchange rose by 1.1% to reach $3,507 per metric ton in official open-outcry trading.

Emirates Global Aluminium said on Friday that restoring full production at the Al Taweelah smelter, which produced 1.6 million tons of cast metal in 2025, may take up to a full year, after entering an emergency shutdown following the attacks of March 28.

Marex analyst Ed Meir said in a note that this represents a relatively long period of downtime, adding that a major disruption in the Gulf region may push the aluminum market into a noticeable deficit during the current year.

The premium of the spot aluminum contract on the London Metal Exchange compared to the three-month contract reached $77 per ton on Tuesday, which is the highest level since 2007, compared with $61 in late March, indicating a narrowing of the supply available for immediate delivery.

In the broader markets, investors adopted a wait-and-see approach with the approaching deadline imposed by American President Donald Trump to reach an agreement with Iran, which threatens to escalate the conflict.

At the same time, copper on the London Metal Exchange fell by 0.1% to $12,344 per ton in official trading, affected by the rise in inventories within the exchange system.

Goldman Sachs had raised on Monday its expectations for the global copper market surplus this year to 490,000 tons compared to a previous expectation of 380,000 tons, after economists at the bank estimated that the rise in energy prices may cut about 0.4 percentage points from global GDP growth.

Daily data released by the London Metal Exchange showed that copper inventories in its registered warehouses rose to 378,775 tons, which is the highest level in eight years, after inflows amounting to 16,125 tons in Asia, Europe, and the United States on April 2.

In the rest of the metals traded on the London Metal Exchange, zinc rose by 1.8% to $3,322.5 per ton, while lead stabilized at $1,933 per ton, and they had recorded earlier in the session the highest level since March 11.

In contrast, tin fell by 0.6% to $46,000 per ton, and nickel fell by 0.5% to $17,000 per ton.

Bitcoin prices fell on Tuesday to drop below the $69,000 level, in light of a decline in risk appetite among investors ahead of the deadline set by US President Donald Trump for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face the possibility of military action.

The world's largest cryptocurrency was traded at a decrease of 0.8% at $68,525.1 by 03:06 AM US Eastern Time (07:06 GMT).

Bitcoin had risen briefly above the $70,000 level on Monday driven by optimism regarding the possibility of reaching a ceasefire, but it failed to maintain those gains.

Traders prepare for the possibility of American strikes against Iran as the deadline approaches

Market sentiment deteriorated after Iran rejected a ceasefire proposal supported by the United States, and instead demanded broader conditions, which increased the probabilities of the conflict escalating.

Trump had warned that Iran might be "wiped out" if it does not comply with the deadline he set at eight in the evening US Eastern Time, signaling the targeting of critical infrastructure such as power plants and bridges.

This tension led to the disruption of global markets, as oil prices jumped to above $110 per barrel as a result of the disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, which is considered one of the most important corridors for the transport of oil in the world.

The rise in energy prices also led to the strengthening of concerns regarding inflation and pushed investors toward traditional safe havens such as the US dollar.

In the recent period, Bitcoin has become increasingly moving in parallel with risk appetite in global markets, as geopolitical risks overshadowed the previous optimism regarding diplomatic progress.

American inflation data under the microscope

The focus of investors is also turning toward American economic data, especially the Consumer Price Index report for March scheduled for release on Friday.

It is expected that the rise in energy prices linked to the conflict in the Middle East will lead to an increase in inflation rates, which may strengthen expectations that interest rates will remain high for a longer period.

This scenario may constitute an additional pressure factor on Bitcoin, which often faces difficulties in environments characterized by high interest rates.

Cryptocurrency prices today: Alternative currencies continue to decline

Most alternative cryptocurrencies also fell on Tuesday, continuing their losses amid a state of caution in the markets.

Ethereum, the second largest cryptocurrency in the world, fell by 1.5% to $2,103.92.

Ripple, the third largest cryptocurrency, also fell by 2.4% to $1.31.