After yesterday’s news that Russia moved as many as 10,000 troops away from the Ukrainian border in Belarus, NATO commanders refuted it, saying they see no evidence of Russia backing down. That helped put a bid under the CBOT, though enthusiasm for adding a “war risk” premium back to wheat futures was decidedly lacking. It seems the market feels these rumors are overplayed without material escalations in the standoff. Another factor pressuring the wheat market is the fact that Ukrainian and other Black Sea traders note grain shipments from the region have so far been unhampered by Russian navy exercise. Until wheat and grain shipments from the Black Sea see material, adverse impacts, the futures market(s) is likely to igno...
Russian Grain Markets: 29 June-3 July 2026 The new marketing season has officially begun in Russia, although bearish sentiment has been concentrated in the southern regions closest to the Black Sea ports, where export demand has been weakest. Delays in grain deliveries to inland elevators have...
What You Need to Know Today: The hot, dry weather forecast continues to drive strength in grain futures with corn and soybeans hitting another day of strong gains. Monday’s Crop Progress and Conditions data were in line with market expectations and showed relatively few concerns for the...
Yesterday we wrote about the Q1 GDP numbers and the June employment reports in an article entitled Real GDP for Q1 Relying on AI Buildout, Held Back by Consumer Spending. That article mentioned that consumer spending had become a drag on GDP. Nonetheless, real GDP in Q1 was revised upward to 2...
From WPI Consulting
Weighing in on strategic realignment
WPI’s team was retained by the governing board of a U.S. industry organization to review a decision, reached by vote, to invest significant assets into the development and management of an export trading company. WPI’s team conducted a formal review of this decision and concluded that the current level of market saturation would limit the benefits of the investment. Based on WPI’s analysis and recommended actions, the board subsequently reversed its decision and undertook a strategic planning effort to identify more impactful investments. On behalf of numerous clients, WPI has not only assisted in identifying strategic paths but also advised their implementation.