World Perspectives

Tariff Follies Begin; Ludicrous Lutnick; Hill-arious Committee Picks

Tariff Follies Begin There is playing from strength, like having the leverage of oversized trade deficits, and then there is overplaying one’s hand. Blanket 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico for ephemeral reasons fentanyl and immigration, two things Mr. Trump cannot even control in his own country, seems rash. Canada and Mexico will retaliate, and they may even drag out negotiations in a gambit that American consumers can get as irate as government grant recipients were early in the week when the President tried to stall their payments. Using the trade imbalance as leverage to achieve improved terms of trade could be legitimate. The rationale is not only flimsy, but the implementation tomorrow without protection for existing dea...

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

May 26 Corn closed at $4.6725/bushel, up $0.0475 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Wheat closed at $6.1375/bushel, up $0.1525 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soybeans closed at $12.2525/bushel, down $0.02 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soymeal closed at $322.7/short ton, up $2.5 f...

feed-grains biofuel energy

Ethanol Production Outlook Amid Energy Rally

Yesterday, WPI briefly examined how biodiesel production margins have surged alongside broader energy markets following the U.S./Israel-Iran conflict. The surge in energy prices lifted biodiesel margins to two-year, if not higher, levels and has exerted a similar, positive effect on ethanol pro...

Transportation Perspectives - 13 March

The conflict in the Middle East continues to dominate developments in energy markets and crude oil or natural gas tanker vessels, but as time passes the conflict’s relatively minor impacts on the dry bulk and container sector are becoming clearer. After a short-lived jump, dry bulk freigh...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

May 26 Corn closed at $4.6725/bushel, up $0.0475 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Wheat closed at $6.1375/bushel, up $0.1525 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soybeans closed at $12.2525/bushel, down $0.02 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soymeal closed at $322.7/short ton, up $2.5 f...

feed-grains biofuel energy

Ethanol Production Outlook Amid Energy Rally

Yesterday, WPI briefly examined how biodiesel production margins have surged alongside broader energy markets following the U.S./Israel-Iran conflict. The surge in energy prices lifted biodiesel margins to two-year, if not higher, levels and has exerted a similar, positive effect on ethanol pro...

Transportation Perspectives - 13 March

The conflict in the Middle East continues to dominate developments in energy markets and crude oil or natural gas tanker vessels, but as time passes the conflict’s relatively minor impacts on the dry bulk and container sector are becoming clearer. After a short-lived jump, dry bulk freigh...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Export Sales

Export Sales and Shipments for February 27-March 5, 2026.  Wheat: Net sales of 455,400 metric tons (MT) for 2025/2026 were up noticeably from the previous week and up 49 percent from the prior 4-week average. Export shipments of 432,000 MT were up 24 percent from the previous week, but dow...

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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.

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