Sino-U.S. Smokescreen The supposed bilateral kickoff of a potential U.S.-China negotiated trade deal is mostly President Trump blowing smoke. After his phone call this week with President Xi, Trump tweeted very positively about the discussion, saying “discussions are moving along nicely” and “they want a deal.” Trump officials are supposedly drafting the potential terms of an agreement. However, those have been known for quite some time, and the Chinese position remains opposed to much of what Washington wants. Some argue that Trump’s approach to Xi was intended to boost U.S. market confidence ahead of Tuesday’s midterm elections. Perhaps, but it is the Chinese stock market that has mostly borne the bru...
What You Need to Know Today: USDA reports are delayed until Tuesday due to the federal holiday on Monday. Over the weekend, President Trump announced a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Russia warmly welcomed and confirmed this ceasefire by conducting more strikes against Ukraine. Specific...
On Saturday, 10 October, at a campaign rally in Clarksville, Tennessee, President Trump said that the U.S. and Mexico would come to terms on a new trade deal, and he said Canada does not need to be part of the deal. Trump called the coming agreement with Mexico “great” but gave no d...
Key Takeaways: The United States has steadily lost global wheat export market share since the 1970s, falling from the world's leading exporter to a projected fifth place in 2026/27. The rapid expansion of Black Sea wheat exports, driven by improved productivity and export infrastructure, has r...
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.