World Perspectives

Recession Watch

Real GDP dipped at a -0.3 percent annual rate in Q1, the first decline for any quarter since 2022. However, the main reason was that trade with other countries accounted for the largest drag on the economy for any quarter since at least 1947, as both consumers and companies loaded up on goods from abroad before higher tariffs kicked in. Since GDP is designed to measure domestic production, imports are subtracted even though Americans buy those goods because they were produced abroad.  Real (inflation-adjusted) consumer spending increased at a moderate 1.8 percent annual rate in the first quarter and real business investment in equipment spiked up at a 22.5 percent annual rate, neither of which looks recessionary. “Core” GDP...

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Pushing Toward New Lows on Bearish Supplies

There was higher volume today trading corn and hogs, and lower volume in the soy complex and SRW.  New contract lows were printed for corn, SRW, and HRW.  Yesterday’s crop progress report reflected potentially stellar crops and yield estimates from private analysts continue to p...

Infuriating Ingratiation; Soul Crushing Jobs

Infuriating Ingratiation Based on European press reports, the terms of the transatlantic trade deal (see Tariffs as a Tax) are less objectionable than the “humiliation” of “submission” to the U.S. But that is just Europe being its usual “bantie rooster.” ...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Dec 25 Corn closed at $4.02/bushel, down $0.05 from yesterday's close.  Sep 25 Wheat closed at $5.0825/bushel, down $0.085 from yesterday's close.  Nov 25 Soybeans closed at $9.9075/bushel, down $0.0375 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Soymeal closed at $284.9/short ton, down $0.1...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Pushing Toward New Lows on Bearish Supplies

There was higher volume today trading corn and hogs, and lower volume in the soy complex and SRW.  New contract lows were printed for corn, SRW, and HRW.  Yesterday’s crop progress report reflected potentially stellar crops and yield estimates from private analysts continue to p...

Infuriating Ingratiation; Soul Crushing Jobs

Infuriating Ingratiation Based on European press reports, the terms of the transatlantic trade deal (see Tariffs as a Tax) are less objectionable than the “humiliation” of “submission” to the U.S. But that is just Europe being its usual “bantie rooster.” ...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Dec 25 Corn closed at $4.02/bushel, down $0.05 from yesterday's close.  Sep 25 Wheat closed at $5.0825/bushel, down $0.085 from yesterday's close.  Nov 25 Soybeans closed at $9.9075/bushel, down $0.0375 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Soymeal closed at $284.9/short ton, down $0.1...

Snacking Turmoil

There are a lot of issues working against the snack world right now from tariffs to cocoa and sugar prices, to the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) ban on dyes and artificial colors.  Let’s take a look. First, there is the ongoing volatility of cocoa prices. Prices have been in an 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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