World Perspectives
feed-grains wheat

Hazards of Forecasting

Each year the OECD and FAO jointly issue a 10-year outlook for global agricultural production, but its record for accuracy presents caution to all forecasters. The market’s reaction to changes in supply and demand are far fickler than the models can assume. Their ten-year forecast in 2008 was produced at the height of the food shortage scare. Low prices during the first part of this century had caused surplus wheat stocks to fall 30 percent and maize carryover to drop 44 percent. Underestimating the ability of agricultural production to rebound, headlines blared that it could not keep up with predicted population growth and people would grow hungry. The OECD FAO baseline report asked, “Can agriculture meet the growing demand fo...

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Strong Friday and an Upward Bound Week

If yesterday’s trading looked like uncertainty ultimately succumbing to the bulls, today’s trading opened with the bears fully in charge. Contracts opened lower and mostly stayed that way until late morning when there appeared to be an epiphany with the bulls and they took charge. I...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Jul 25 Corn closed at $4.425/bushel, up $0.03 from yesterday's close.  Jul 25 Wheat closed at $5.5475/bushel, up $0.0925 from yesterday's close.  Jul 25 Soybeans closed at $10.5725/bushel, up $0.055 from yesterday's close.  Jul 25 Soymeal closed at $295.7/short ton, down $1.4 fro...

Beyond the Report Headlines: Measuring Trump’s Effects

The BLS released the employment report this morning indicating that the U.S. added 139,000 jobs in May, down slightly from April’s revised 147,000, but slightly above pre-report forecasts of 126,000. However, payrolls were revised downward an unusually large 95,000 for the prior two month...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Strong Friday and an Upward Bound Week

If yesterday’s trading looked like uncertainty ultimately succumbing to the bulls, today’s trading opened with the bears fully in charge. Contracts opened lower and mostly stayed that way until late morning when there appeared to be an epiphany with the bulls and they took charge. I...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Jul 25 Corn closed at $4.425/bushel, up $0.03 from yesterday's close.  Jul 25 Wheat closed at $5.5475/bushel, up $0.0925 from yesterday's close.  Jul 25 Soybeans closed at $10.5725/bushel, up $0.055 from yesterday's close.  Jul 25 Soymeal closed at $295.7/short ton, down $1.4 fro...

Beyond the Report Headlines: Measuring Trump’s Effects

The BLS released the employment report this morning indicating that the U.S. added 139,000 jobs in May, down slightly from April’s revised 147,000, but slightly above pre-report forecasts of 126,000. However, payrolls were revised downward an unusually large 95,000 for the prior two month...

livestock

Even After Recent Market Gains, Hog and Pork Outlook Remains Rosy

Anyone following the hog and pork markets recently has seen the volatility that preceded the recent surge to new contract highs, and the lack of consensus in the industry’s outlook. The USDA will issue their quarterly Hogs and Pigs report at the end of June, which will help inform the ind...

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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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