World Perspectives

Transportation Perspectives - 28 May

Dry bulk markets are steady/firmer this week with Capes leading the rally and, on the other end of the vessel size spectrum, strong grain demand supporting Handysize vessels too.  Capesize rates soared again this week on strong Australian miner buying that stemmed from accelerated Chinese...

Today’s Top insights
livestock

Livestock Industry Margins

Beef packer margins improved to -$257/head last week, up $39 from the prior week as the Choice cutout strengthened while fed cattle prices eased. The cutout rose to nearly $390/cwt, while fed cattle prices slipped to $260/cwt, allowing packer spreads to recover modestly from the prior week&rsqu...

livestock

Producers' Share of Beef Value Up, Packer Margins Down

Key Takeaways: Cattle producers are currently capturing a greater proportion of total retail beef values amid tight cattle supplies.  Packers are forced to make higher bids on cattle to keep operations running when supplies are tight, hurting packer margins. Sustained poor packer margins...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.525/bushel, down $0.05 from yesterday's close.  Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.225/bushel, down $0.13 from yesterday's close.  Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $11.8525/bushel, down $0.0075 from yesterday's close.  Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $330.6/short ton, up $2 fro...

livestock

Livestock Industry Margins

Beef packer margins improved to -$257/head last week, up $39 from the prior week as the Choice cutout strengthened while fed cattle prices eased. The cutout rose to nearly $390/cwt, while fed cattle prices slipped to $260/cwt, allowing packer spreads to recover modestly from the prior week&rsqu...

livestock

Producers' Share of Beef Value Up, Packer Margins Down

Key Takeaways: Cattle producers are currently capturing a greater proportion of total retail beef values amid tight cattle supplies.  Packers are forced to make higher bids on cattle to keep operations running when supplies are tight, hurting packer margins. Sustained poor packer margins...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.525/bushel, down $0.05 from yesterday's close.  Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.225/bushel, down $0.13 from yesterday's close.  Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $11.8525/bushel, down $0.0075 from yesterday's close.  Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $330.6/short ton, up $2 fro...

Dangerously Clueless; Old is New Category (Den of Pirates); Trade Purists

Dangerously Clueless Lazy analysts and food system critics have shifted attention temporarily from how bad our food is (UPFs,) to why it is expensive. Bloomberg correctly sites higher labor costs, tariffs, weather (El Niño), fertilizer prices, higher energy and transportation costs, the...

Market Commentary: Trading Headlines, Pricing Risk

Key Market Insights Today was another reminder that this market is trading headlines first, facts second. Early optimism surrounding reports of a possible U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding helped pressure energy risk premium and kept the broader commodity space defensive. An hour later, how...

Dangerously Clueless; Old is New Category (Den of Pirates); Trade Purists

Dangerously Clueless Lazy analysts and food system critics have shifted attention temporarily from how bad our food is (UPFs,) to why it is expensive. Bloomberg correctly sites higher labor costs, tariffs, weather (El Niño), fertilizer prices, higher energy and transportation costs, the...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Black Sea Regional Analysis

Russian Grains Market, 18-22 May 2026 Last week, Russian grain markets remained bullish all over the European part of the country. This times, even the Asian regions saw prices recover to new levels. This rally occurred on the heels of zero export duties and a very strong RUB.  The rally i...

FOB Prices and Freight Rates App (Updated 27 May)

WPI Grain Prices and Freight Rate App   Note: you can also visit the app directly by clicking here.   Supplemental Information The section below offers a concise view of the options available in the current version of the WPI FOB Price and Freight Rate app, along with a short “...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: CBOT Falls on Better Weather, Geopolitical Trade Dynamics

What You Need to Know Today: The U.S. conducted “self-defense strikes” in Iran and said the two sides are “close” to negotiating a ceasefire. “Close” is a relative term, however, and even if 95 percent of the terms are agreed to, the remaining 5 percent is l...

China Partially Lifts HPAI Restrictions

As we reported on 19 May, China has also committed to the resumption of U.S. poultry imports from states without confirmed HPAI detections. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has updated its China export restrictions webpage to reflect that China has lifted HPAI-rel...

feed-grains biofuel energy

Brazil’s Emerging Corn Ethanol Industry Driven by Market Forces and Biofuel Policy

Key Takeaways: Brazil has been the second-largest producer of fuel ethanol globally, but almost all of it was derived from sugarcane until recently. Corn ethanol production has increased due to expanded second-crop corn production, sugarcane storage limitations, and biofuel policy. Brazil is e...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.575/bushel, down $0.0575 from yesterday's close.  Jul 26 Wheat closed at $6.355/bushel, down $0.1075 from yesterday's close.  Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $11.86/bushel, down $0.105 from yesterday's close.  Jul 26 Soymeal closed at $328.6/short ton, down $3...

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