World Perspectives
feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Commodities are in Vogue Again

In the 1840s, the ad hoc trading of physical lots of wheat, corn, rye, oats and hay on a street corner in Chicago eventually became transaction-based on standardized terms. That development allowed traders to buy and sell physical quantities of grain for delivery at specified times in the future rather than only for spot delivery. This then evolved into a formal futures market by the late 1860s under the auspices of the Chicago Board of Trade. The ability to buy/sell grain for future delivery and avoid the obligation to make or take actual delivery through opposite transactions effectively allowed traders to make bets on what prices would be at specified times in the future without ever owning the physical supplies that attracted speculator...

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Limping Home After a Dreary Week

Friday involved relatively lower volume and modest price changes as new inputs remain limited. And it wasn’t really due to the lack of USDA reports due to the shutdown since they may not have involved anything market moving. Harvest is progressing, competitors have ample supplies, and buy...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Dec 25 Corn closed at $4.19/bushel, down $0.0275 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Wheat closed at $5.1525/bushel, up $0.005 from yesterday's close.  Nov 25 Soybeans closed at $10.18/bushel, down $0.0575 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Soymeal closed at $278.6/short ton, down $0.7...

Competing Manufacturing Data

According to S&P Global, the US manufacturing sector grew for the fourth consecutive month in September. The U.S. manufacturing purchasing managers' index recorded 52 points in September, down from 53 a month prior and indicating a weaker rate of expansion of the manufacturing sector. A rea...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Limping Home After a Dreary Week

Friday involved relatively lower volume and modest price changes as new inputs remain limited. And it wasn’t really due to the lack of USDA reports due to the shutdown since they may not have involved anything market moving. Harvest is progressing, competitors have ample supplies, and buy...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Dec 25 Corn closed at $4.19/bushel, down $0.0275 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Wheat closed at $5.1525/bushel, up $0.005 from yesterday's close.  Nov 25 Soybeans closed at $10.18/bushel, down $0.0575 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Soymeal closed at $278.6/short ton, down $0.7...

Competing Manufacturing Data

According to S&P Global, the US manufacturing sector grew for the fourth consecutive month in September. The U.S. manufacturing purchasing managers' index recorded 52 points in September, down from 53 a month prior and indicating a weaker rate of expansion of the manufacturing sector. A rea...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Recent Market Volatility Increases Futures Mispricing

Following the recent shocks to the grain markets – the Grain Stocks report data and news that soybeans will be on the negotiating table when Presidents Trump and Xi meet next – many are wondering what happens next as far as commodity pricing goes. WPI certainly doesn’t have a...

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From WPI Consulting

Accountability and a comprehensive approach to export programming

WPI’s team helped construct a strategic approach to develop, implement, and track promotional activities in 8 key regions across the globe for an agricultural export association. With continued progress measurement and strategic advisory services from WPI, the association has seen its ROI from investments in promotional programming increase by 44 percent over the past 5 years. Not only does this type of holistic approach to organizational strategy provide measurable results to track and analyze, it fosters top-down and bottom-up organizational accountability.

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