WAITING GAME: Corn edged higher in light trading Tuesday before the U.S. Department of Agriculture releases a series of closely watched reports on Friday.

OFF THE RECORD: Corn has slumped 18 percent since climbing to a record last August after a drought decimated the crop. The market still doesn't seem to have recovered its energy, analysts say.

GOLD HALTS FALL: The precious metal advanced for the first time in four days, as traders speculated that a sell-off may have been overdone. Gold has fallen for six straight weeks.