DTN Early Word Grains 12/18 05:55

DTN Early Word Grains 12/18 05:55 'Twas a Week Before Christmas March corn was fractionally higher, March soybeans were 1 cent higher, and March Chicago (SRW) wheat was 4 cents higher. By Darin Newsom DTN Senior Analyst 6:00 a.m. CME Globex: March corn was fractionally higher, March soybeans were 1 cent higher, and March Chicago (SRW) wheat was 4 cents higher. CME Globex Recap: The grain and oilseed complex was higher overnight into Monday morning, beginning what is normally a quiet two-week period to end the year. Wheat was the overnight leader, not surprising given its recent bullish technical turn. Commodities in general got an assist from a lower U.S. dollar index while DJIA futures powered to a triple-digit gain. OUTSIDE MARKETS: The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 143.08 points (0.6%) higher at 24,651.74, the NASDAQ Composite gained 80.06 points (1.2%) to 6,936.58, and the S&P 500 added 23.80 points (0.9%) to 2,675.81 Friday. DJIA futures were 124 points higher early Monday morning. Asian markets closed higher with Japan's Nikkei 225 up 348.55 points (1.6%), Hong Kong's Hang Seng gaining 202.30 points (0.7%), and China's Shanghai Composite adding 1.79 points. European markets were trading higher with London's FTSE 100 up 31.41 points (0.4%), Germany's DAX gaining 187.12 points (1.4%), and France's CAC 40 up 64.81 points (1.2%). The euro gained 0.0048 to 1.1795 as the U.S. dollar index fell 0.22 to 93.71. March 30-year T-Bonds were 10/32 lower at 153'31 while February gold gained $3.90 to $1,261.40. January bitcoin was $1,125 higher at $19,230. Crude oil was $0.31 higher at $57.61 while Brent crude added $0.22 to $63.45. China's Dalian soybean futures were higher and Malaysian palm oil futures were lower overnight.