World Perspectives

Food Inflation and the Food Service Sector

September retail sales rose slightly more than expected and the underlying details of the report were solid. Sales rose 0.4 percent in September versus a consensus expected rise of 0.3 percent, while revisions to the prior months’ activity pushed the overall gain to 0.5 percent. The monthly increase was broad-based with ten out of thirteen major sales categories increasing, and the top category was food service, with the BLS data for sales at “eating and drinking places” up 1 percent. That was the largest increase for the category so far in 2024.  Sales were $96.4 billion on a seasonally adjusted basis in September; that was $1 billion higher than August’s upward-revised sales volume of $95.4 billion. Over the last year, sales in this...

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Market Commentary: CBOT Mixed as Shutdown End Begins

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Pandorra’s Tariff Box

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Dec 25 Corn closed at $4.32/bushel, up $0.0225 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Wheat closed at $5.36/bushel, up $0.0025 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soybeans closed at $11.2725/bushel, down $0.0275 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Soymeal closed at $316.9/short ton, down $3.1 f...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: CBOT Mixed as Shutdown End Begins

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Dec 25 Corn closed at $4.32/bushel, up $0.0225 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Wheat closed at $5.36/bushel, up $0.0025 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soybeans closed at $11.2725/bushel, down $0.0275 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Soymeal closed at $316.9/short ton, down $3.1 f...

Agreement to End Government Shutdown Reached in Senate, Ag Highlights

As Matt Herrington wrote yesterday, the 41-day government shutdown appears to be coming to an end. The Senate has taken a major step toward it by passing a package that includes full funding for a year for three appropriations bills, including Military Construction-Veterans Affairs, the Legisla...

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From WPI Consulting

Infrastructure investment due diligence

On behalf of a Canadian oilseed processer WPI's team provided market analysis, econometric modeling and financial due diligence in support of a $24 million-dollar investment in a Ukrainian crush plant. Consistent with WPI's findings, local production to supply the plant and the facility's output have expanded exponentially since the investment. WPI has conducted parallel work on behalf of U.S., South American and European clients, both private and public, in the agri-food space.

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