The December 2026 CME corn futures contract (ZC) settled at 497’2, or 497.25 U.S. cents per bushel, on October 5, 2026. That is a dated settlement—not a live quote for October 8. ZC is a futures contract, so its price depends on the delivery month; check the selected contract’s current quote or settlement before making a decision.
What are corn prices today?
The latest dated reference established here is the December 2026 ZC settlement of 497’2 (497.25 cents per bushel) on October 5, 2026, down 0’4 on the session. It should not be presented as the live price on October 8: futures quotes change during trading, and settlements are set for a particular session.
For the latest available figure, use CME Group’s corn quotes or settlement page, selecting the contract month you want. CME says its website market data is reference-only and should not be used to validate or supplement real-time data feeds.
What is the ZC price per bushel?
ZC is the CME Globex code for corn futures. The contract is quoted in U.S. cents per bushel, and the standard contract covers 5,000 bushels. CME’s contract specifications set the minimum price fluctuation at 0.25 cent per bushel, equal to $12.50 per contract tick.
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At 497.25 cents per bushel, the quoted futures price is $4.9725 per bushel. Multiplying that quoted price by 5,000 gives a notional contract value of $24,862.50; it is not the amount a trader necessarily pays upfront. Futures are leveraged financial instruments, and margin, gains or losses, and delivery obligations are separate from this arithmetic.
How do I read corn futures prices?
Read the month and quote type first
CME lists corn futures for multiple contract months. A price without its month and date is incomplete: December 2026 and another maturity are different contracts, not interchangeable versions of one timeless corn price. Also identify whether the number is an intraday quote or a daily settlement.
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Understand the settlement notation
The December 2026 quote of 497’2 means 497 and 2/8 cents per bushel, which is 497.25 cents. Corn futures move in quarter-cent increments, so one tick equals $12.50 on a 5,000-bushel contract. A settlement is the daily value determined during the exchange’s settlement period; it is commonly used in evening market reports and for daily mark-to-market purposes. It is not necessarily the last traded price or a price available to transact at later.
Keep futures separate from local cash prices
A futures quote is not a local elevator or farm cash bid. Cash prices vary by location and basis—the local difference between the cash market and the relevant futures contract. Compare a cash bid with the matching futures month only when location and basis are accounted for; no specific local cash quote is provided here.
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What is the December corn futures price?
The December 2026 ZC contract settled at 497’2, or 497.25 cents per bushel, on October 5, 2026. CME’s settlement page is the place to check subsequent daily settlements. The contract is deliverable, and trading terminates on the business day before the 15th of its contract month, according to CME’s specifications. Anyone comparing months should check each month’s own price and timing rather than assuming December represents all corn futures.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What can move corn futures?
CME highlights weather, USDA supply-and-demand forecasts (WASDE), prospective plantings, and grain stocks as relevant market information. USDA’s World Agricultural Outlook Board prepares and releases WASDE monthly; CME’s corn market page and agricultural reports hub also point to weekly export sales, crop conditions, and Commitment of Traders reports. These are inputs to monitor, not a formula that predicts whether prices will rise or fall.
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One recent acreage data point illustrates why estimates need dates and qualifications: USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service said U.S. producers intended to plant 95.3 million acres of corn in 2026, down 3% from 2025, in its March 31, 2026 Prospective Plantings release. This was an intentions estimate, not final planted acreage, and later USDA releases can update the market picture.
CME describes corn futures as “the most liquid and active market in grains” and says 350,000 contracts trade per day. That figure is CME Group’s own product-page statement, not an independent market-volume study.
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