At the midday close, China's main futures contracts were mixed: container shipping Europe route fell nearly 8%; rapeseed meal and live hogs dropped over 3%; eggs, industrial silicon and coking coal fell more than 2%; glass and red dates declined about 2%. On the upside, fuel oil and benzene rose over 2%; styrene (EB), SC crude, PVC, low-sulfur fuel oil (LU) and lithium carbonate gained more than 1%.

President Trump announced the USDA will launch a new Harvest Season Diesel Relief Program providing $8 billion to farmers to offset diesel costs during this harvest season. He said a Republican victory would allow the administration to seek additional funding.

On Oct 19 local time Yemen’s Houthi movement said it carried out six military operations against Saudi Arabia in the past 48 hours, employing large numbers of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones. The group said Saudi forces conducted more than 200 air and missile strikes in the same 48-hour period, targeting Sanaa and other areas’ civilian facilities and causing dozens of casualties, the majority women and children. It added that total air and missile strikes since Saudi escalation began have exceeded 2,700.