The CBOT opened higher with soybean futures once again pressing towards the key $12.00 level. Weakness in soyoil pulled the market lower, however, and both markets finished in the red for the day. Soymeal was the upside leader in the soy complex while wheat sagged and weighed on corn. Funds were modest net buyers across the board but held limited interest in the grains. The lack of farmer selling in the U.S. or Brazil is helping markets continue to grind higher. The U.S. Census Bureau released its monthly Advanced Retail Trade report today, which showed a 1.1 percent decline in U.S. retail spending in November. The decrease was the second in the past seven months and points to a potentially weaker U.S. economy. Notably, grocery store...
What You Need to Know Today: President Trump claimed the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran was over, as both sides accused one another of violating the terms of the agreement. Commercial vessels are increasingly steering clear of the Strait of Hormuz as security risks escalate following Iran...
Key Takeaways: The CME Group is launching new 90 percent Lean Beef and 50 percent Lean Beef futures and options contracts in July. There are five key factors that must be present in physical markets and futures contract specifications for futures contracts to become successful. The two l...
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...
From WPI Consulting
Illuminating the value of technical research
On behalf of a commodity producer organization, WPI evaluated the outputs from a project that featured a $5 million investment into technical research over multiple years. WPI’s team captured the results of this extensive effort and synthesized them for presentation to the organization’s governing board; among the findings uncovered and presented for the first time was the development of genomic traits proven, via rigorous testing, to provide crop yield advantages of 50 percent or more to U.S. farmers in times of drought. Capturing measurable results from long-term efforts can be challenging. Educating clients on the dynamics of success measurement when quantifiable results are not readily available requires deep client-consultant collaboration and an ability to consider both near- and long-term client aspirations with market/policy dynamics – attributes that WPI brings to every consulting engagement.