Grain and soy futures markets have generally been quiet and dull during the past few weeks as most attention has understandably been focused on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and the apparently deteriorating relations between the U.S. and China. Although the latter could have important implications for China’s purchases of grain and soybeans under the Phase One trade agreement, markets have remained generally unmoved. A fairly regular stream of soybean export sales to Chinese processors including 264,000 MT of old and new crop sales reported by USDA/FAS Wednesday have had very little impact on soybean futures prices. CME November soybeans closed at $8.55 Wednesday, exactly the same price as they closed on 1 May. One exception...
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
Forecasting developments in production agriculture
On behalf of a private U.S. agricultural technology provider, WPI’s team generated an econometric model to forecast the movement of concentrated corn production north and west from the traditional U.S. Corn Belt. WPI’s model has subsequently provided quantitative support to a multi-million-dollar investment into short-season corn variety development. WPI’s methodology included a series of interviews with regional grain elevators and seed consultants. Emphasizing outreach and communication with stakeholders who possess intimate sectoral knowledge – on-the-ground insights – is a regular component of WPI’s methodologies, made possible by WPI’s ever-growing network of industry contacts.