World Perspectives

Trade Deficit Down, Job Creation Up: A Look Under the Hood

Two recent economic reports have generated attention: the November balance of payments trade deficit and the December payroll report. There are tea leaves to be read for both.    First, the trade deficit for all goods and services in November was down 2 percent, to $63.2 billion. The October deficit was revised up marginally to $64.5 billion from the initial report of $64.3 billion. The pre-report expectation was an increased deficit of $65 billion. Of course, as WPI frequently reminds, it is the total value of trade – imports plus exports – not the deficit or surplus, that shows the level of economic activity in the economy. In the GDP equation, imports are subtracted from exports not because they hurt domestic econo...

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Summary of Futures

Dec 25 Corn closed at $4.04/bushel, up $0.0075 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Wheat closed at $5.2825/bushel, up $0.07 from yesterday's close.  Nov 25 Soybeans closed at $10.36/bushel, up $0.0225 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Soymeal closed at $297.2/short ton, up $1.3 from ye...

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Market Commentary: CBOT Rallies, but is it a Correction or a Trend Reversal?

The CBOT turned higher at mid-week with wheat leading the way and corn and soybeans following on somewhat minor news items. Wheat saw a strong rally develop that created bullish key reversals on the charts after rumors of Asian export demand – fueled by the U.S. Gulf’s discount to R...

Rearranged Trade Impacts

U.S. tariffs are reordering world trade and may further impact the nation’s agricultural exports. While soybean exports to China are stalled as that nation redirects all of its purchases to South America, that has been a political position that ignores the lower cost of U.S. soybeans. How...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Dec 25 Corn closed at $4.04/bushel, up $0.0075 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Wheat closed at $5.2825/bushel, up $0.07 from yesterday's close.  Nov 25 Soybeans closed at $10.36/bushel, up $0.0225 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Soymeal closed at $297.2/short ton, up $1.3 from ye...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: CBOT Rallies, but is it a Correction or a Trend Reversal?

The CBOT turned higher at mid-week with wheat leading the way and corn and soybeans following on somewhat minor news items. Wheat saw a strong rally develop that created bullish key reversals on the charts after rumors of Asian export demand – fueled by the U.S. Gulf’s discount to R...

Rearranged Trade Impacts

U.S. tariffs are reordering world trade and may further impact the nation’s agricultural exports. While soybean exports to China are stalled as that nation redirects all of its purchases to South America, that has been a political position that ignores the lower cost of U.S. soybeans. How...

FOB Prices and Freight Rates App (Updated 20 August)

WPI Grain Prices and Freight Rate App Note: you can also visit the app directly by clicking here. Supplemental Information The section below offers a concise view of the options available in the current version of the WPI FOB Price and Freight Rate app, along with a short “How To”...

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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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