By DTN Staff

OMAHA (DTN) -- Here are the Top 5 things the DTN Newsroom is tracking for the week of Dec. 29. Watch for coverage of these and other topics through the week on our subscription platforms as well as on www.DTNPF.com.

Note that all report release times are Central Standard Time unless otherwise noted.

1. Holiday break, a new year: Once again the mid-week holiday will throw a skip-day in futures markets; trading ends as normal on Tuesday night. Then, watch for our Early Word market reports restarting on Thursday before sunrise. Commodity markets are expected to be relatively quiet ahead of the key World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report Jan. 10.

2. Business reporting details: The federal Beneficial Ownership Information reporting rule for small businesses has had more on-again, off-again turns than a Ben Affleck/Jennifer Lopez relationship. There's not even a Christmas gift exchange. But it appears businesses will not -- repeat, not -- have to file the controversial ownership transparency documents by early January. That, of course, hopefully gives the roughly 230,000 farms the BOI act is said to affect plenty of time to get the paperwork filed. Hint, hint. See the latest here by DTN Ag Policy Editor Chris Clayton: https://www.dtnpf.com/….

3. Year ends on warm side: After a wet weekend in the Eastern Midwest, a new system will move through southern and eastern areas. Conditions will stay on the warm side, meaning this round of precipitation will be mostly rain early on. The next round of cold weather is expected later in the week. In the Northern Plains, by the start of the new year, a more prolonged period of arctic air could develop that could linger through the first few weeks of January. In the Central Plains, warmer temps also make for more rain than snow, with the chances for white stuff increasing as you go north. The lower Mississippi Valley has been very wet but looks drier and colder at week's end.

4. Bird flu news: Studies are giving us more information on how the current H5N1 avian flu has moved through the United States, and we're following the latest USDA reporting efforts and actions on the disease.

5. Economic reports to watch: Monday reports start at 9 a.m. with Pending Home Sales, followed by 10 a.m. Grain Inspections. At 2 p.m. the latest Egg Products report hits, then the 2:30 p.m. CFTC Commitment of Traders report. Tuesday, the S&P Case-Shiller home price index is out at 8 a.m., at 11 a.m. we'll see Livestock and Meat Domestic Data, and at 2 p.m. the latest Agricultural Prices data from the National Agricultural Statistics Service. Wednesday, Markets are closed, no reports due to the New Year's Day holiday. Thursday begins with Initial Jobless Claims report at 7:30 a.m., then the 9 a.m. Construction Spending numbers. Friday at 7:30 a.m. we'll see the latest Export Sales report, then at 9 a.m. the ISM Manufacturing data for December. At 9:30 a.m. we'll see the EIA Weekly Petroleum, including ethanol data.

DTN bonus content: We'll continue with the countdown of our Top 10 ag news stories for 2024 and reveal the No. 1 ag news story of the year on Dec. 31, along with a blog about our selection. You can then find our Best of the Rest story on Jan. 1. What do you think should be the top ag story of the year? You can share your choice with us at talk@dtn.com or our social media channels.

In our latest Field Posts podcast called "Cattle Market Forecast 2025," hosted by Sarah Mock, DTN's Livestock Analyst ShayLe Stewart provides the cattle markets forecast for the year ahead. She looks back on the 2024 season, reflects on the highs and lows that kept cattlemen on their toes, and talks about the macro and micro conditions that made this year a record setting one for cattle and beef prices. Then, she ties together the current state of the market, the latest weather and feed outlooks, and provides a first look at what might be in store for producers in 2025. She talks through the feed complex, dives into the demand picture, and offers insight on the state of the U.S. herd build-back. Then, she walks listeners through how everyone -- from cattlemen to feeders to packers -- might be preparing for the challenges and opportunities in the year ahead, and what wild cards remain that could mean a change in trend for a historically strong marketplace.

You can listen to this and other Field Posts podcasts at https://www.dtnpf.com/…, https://www.buzzsprout.com/… and they're also available on podcast hosting sites such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Watch for the latest news at www.dtnpf.com, and follow and like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/dtnprogressivefarmer. You can find our news on Instagram as well. Give us a follow @dtn.agnews

(c) Copyright 2024 DTN, LLC. All rights reserved.