Russian Grain Markets: 23–27 March 2026 The Russian grains market was stable to slightly firmer during the week. Export activity and port trading remained slow, while the domestic market and inland trade reflected firmer farmer price expectations. Even so, gains were limited, and the broader outlook still points to a largely stable market rather than a sustained bullish move. Domestic RUB prices remain tied closely to export values, as competition between exporters and the flour milling sector remains limited. Exporters continue to set the tone in the market, and with few international trading houses active in Russia, export prices are expected to remain relatively stable in the near term. Geopolitical developments offered some suppor...
What You Need to Know Today: Corn, wheat, and the soy complex all formed new contract or at least rally highs to close what has become one of the most uniformly bullish weeks in CBOT history. Escalations in the fighting between Russia and Ukraine and attacks on civilian merchant vessels show n...
Macro: Trade Flows Set the Tone Persian Gulf crude flows appear to be improving, with anecdotal estimates suggesting as much as 7–8 million barrels per day may now be leaving the region — nearly double the mid-July pace. That helps explain why crude has not maintained the full geopo...
From WPI Consulting
Forecasting developments in production agriculture
On behalf of a private U.S. agricultural technology provider, WPI’s team generated an econometric model to forecast the movement of concentrated corn production north and west from the traditional U.S. Corn Belt. WPI’s model has subsequently provided quantitative support to a multi-million-dollar investment into short-season corn variety development. WPI’s methodology included a series of interviews with regional grain elevators and seed consultants. Emphasizing outreach and communication with stakeholders who possess intimate sectoral knowledge – on-the-ground insights – is a regular component of WPI’s methodologies, made possible by WPI’s ever-growing network of industry contacts.