World Perspectives

Asymmetric on Tariffs

Most economists are clear in describing tariffs as a border tax. Their impacts include increasing costs on consumers and reducing trade, and thus self-harming a nation’s economic well-being. Yet, it is difficult to identify a nation that doesn’t use tariffs, and most utilize them more than the U.S. Yet the reported analysis of Donald Trump’s proposal for more tariffs is asymmetric in its conclusions. The publication Inside U.S. Trade says almost everyone would benefit from Trump’s tariff plan except the U.S.The EU and other economic blocs are preparing retaliation lists should Trump be elected and enact his plan. They will reciprocate by imposing their own tariffs on American goods. U.S. agriculture is at the top of the retaliation lists. B...

Related Articles
feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Oil Volatility Drives CBOT More than WASDE

Usually, the day USDA releases its monthly world supply and demand report – known colloquially as “WASDE day” – sees heightened volatility in CBOT ag futures. That was true again Tuesday, though there was little causal connection between the WASDE and the market’s...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

May 26 Corn closed at $4.5225/bushel, down $0.015 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Wheat closed at $5.91/bushel, down $0.1225 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soybeans closed at $12.0175/bushel, up $0.055 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soymeal closed at $314.5/short ton, up $1 fro...

China Market Analysis

Iran War The U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran are said to complicate the visit later this month by President Trump to China. As an ally of Iran and a major purchaser of its oil, China has an acute interest in the current war. It is especially being harmed by the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Oil Volatility Drives CBOT More than WASDE

Usually, the day USDA releases its monthly world supply and demand report – known colloquially as “WASDE day” – sees heightened volatility in CBOT ag futures. That was true again Tuesday, though there was little causal connection between the WASDE and the market’s...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

May 26 Corn closed at $4.5225/bushel, down $0.015 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Wheat closed at $5.91/bushel, down $0.1225 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soybeans closed at $12.0175/bushel, up $0.055 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soymeal closed at $314.5/short ton, up $1 fro...

China Market Analysis

Iran War The U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran are said to complicate the visit later this month by President Trump to China. As an ally of Iran and a major purchaser of its oil, China has an acute interest in the current war. It is especially being harmed by the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz...

Economic Outlook for 2026

The January jobs report surprised to the upside, coming in at 172,000 new jobs, well above the consensus expectation of 68,000. However, the February report showed jobs falling by 86,000, far off the consensus expectation of a gain of 60,000. This loss was driven by education, leisure and hospi...

Image
From WPI Consulting

Communicating importance of value-added products

Facing increasing pressure to quantify the value of export promotion efforts to investors, a U.S. industry organization retained WPI to develop a quantitative model that better communicated the importance of exports. The resulting model concluded that value-added meat exports contributed $0.45 cents per bushel to the price of corn, increasing support for that sector’s financial support of WPI’s client. In addition to serving the red meat industry with this type of analysis, WPI has generated similar deliverables for the U.S. soybean and poultry/egg industries.

Search World Perspectives

Sign In to World Perspectives

Don’t have an account yet? Sign Up