The coronavirus spreading out from Wuhan China has supposedly put markets on edge, especially equities. The death toll from the disease is rising but is less than 30 at this juncture. Looking for a proxy situation, the SARS virus back in 2002/03 also started in China and eventually spread to 26 countries, killing a total of 800 people. The data suggest that there is no reason for concern in commodity markets. During the SARS virus outbreak, global consumption of major grains and meats continued on their exact same growth path. This is true for China as well except consumption of wheat had begun its decline whereas soybean demand was at the start of its faster trajectory upward. While the SARS outbreak involved several countrie...
What You Need to Know Today: The corn and soybean markets closed slightly higher in low-volume trade. The wheat market was mixed, with HRW continuing its downward trek on improved moisture. As expected, the bearish cattle on feed report drove down cattle prices and pulled hogs down with it. Mi...
Monday, 25 May is a U.S. holiday, and both the markets and our office will be closed. Please note that the next issue of Ag Perspectives will be published on Tuesday, 26 May. The WPI staff wishes everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend...
USDA’s monthly cattle on feed report was released today. The total number of cattle on feed in feedlots with 1,000 head or more capacity amounted to 11.6 million head, 102 percent of last year. Source: USDA, WPI Placements were up, but part of that is attributable to persistent drought c...
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.