DTN Early Word Grains 12/21 05:48

DTN Early Word Grains 12/21 05:48 Grains Firm at Midweek March corn is up 3/4 cent per bushel, January soybeans are up 6 1/4 cents, and March KC wheat is up 3 1/4 cents. Tregg Cronin DTN Contributing Analyst PRE-6 AM GLOBEX PRICES: March corn is up 3/4 cent per bushel, January soybeans are up 6 1/4 cents, and March KC wheat is up 3 1/4 cents. CME GLOBEX RECAP: Equities were mostly higher around the globe overnight with U.S. futures showing gains early Wednesday morning. Investors are awaiting fresh data in the form of consumer confidence and housing amid lower volumes in the run-up to Christmas. Energy markets are firmer overnight with crude oil back over the $77.00 per barrel mark. Natural gas remains volatile with nearly 10% losses Tuesday despite the incoming cold snap with gains of almost 4.0% early Wednesday morning. The U.S. Dollar Index is firmer overnight but just off multi-month lows set last week. Metals are weaker overnight with silver leading losses, down 0.7%. Grain markets are higher across the board with gains led by soy products and Kansas City wheat. OUTSIDE MARKETS: Previous closes Tuesday showed the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 92.20 at 32,849.74 and the S&P 500 up 3.96 at 3,817.66 while the 10-Year Treasury yield ended at 3.684%. Early Wednesday, the March DJIA futures are up 228 points. Asian markets are lower with Japan's Nikkei 225 down 180.31 (-0.68%) and China's Shanghai Composite down 5.36 points (-0.17%). European markets are higher with London's FTSE 100 up 44.67 points (0.61%), Germany's DAX up 109.91 points (0.79%) and France's CAC 40 up 71.38 points (1.11%). The March Euro is down 0.000 at 1.070 and the March U.S. Dollar Index is up 0.144 at 103.750. The March 30-Year T-Bond is down 3/32nds, while February gold is down $2.20 at $1,823.20 and February crude oil is up $0.80 at $77.03. Corn on China's Dalian Exchange was down 1.17% while soybeans were up 0.88% and soybean meal was up 1.1%.