World Perspectives

Weaker Consumer Finances Darken Economic Outlook, Despite Interest Rate Cuts

The past two weeks have seen the typical influx of macroeconomic data releases, most of which helped prompt the Federal Reserve to issue its 50-bps interest rate cut on Wednesday. While the interest rate cut was initially viewed as a positive signal (lower interest rates generally increase economic activity), history suggests rate cuts can precede market corrections or recessions. This is highly dependent on other factor at play in the economy, which WPI attempts to examine here.  WPI looks at macroeconomics through three primary lenses: national-level factors, consumer income and finances, and consumer spending. The first, national-level factors, includes items such as stock market valuation, the Treasury yield curve, and the inflati...

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Trade Deficit Shrinks, Fed Cuts Federal Funds Rate at December

The U.S. trade deficit narrowed unexpectedly to $52.8 billion in September, the smallest since mid-2020. The decline in the deficit was due to a large increase in exports, which rose $8.4 billion. Imports were up a more modest $1.9 billion.  The President may see this as a win, as the cor...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

WPI Quarterly Grain Balance Sheets

Following the December WASDE report from Tuesday, WPI has updated our corn, wheat, and soybean supply and use models to examine market trends for the rest of MY 2025/26. Current indications for U.S. grain complex point to uneven fundamentals across these crops, particularly in terms of global e...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Low Holiday Cheer

Grain markets traded without conviction today, see-sawing around unchanged and with modest volume. Aggies had WASDE day and outside markets had Fed day, and both events this week were kind of a bust. Some might consider it a positive to lack drama interrupting the holiday period, and that is th...

Trade Deficit Shrinks, Fed Cuts Federal Funds Rate at December

The U.S. trade deficit narrowed unexpectedly to $52.8 billion in September, the smallest since mid-2020. The decline in the deficit was due to a large increase in exports, which rose $8.4 billion. Imports were up a more modest $1.9 billion.  The President may see this as a win, as the cor...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

WPI Quarterly Grain Balance Sheets

Following the December WASDE report from Tuesday, WPI has updated our corn, wheat, and soybean supply and use models to examine market trends for the rest of MY 2025/26. Current indications for U.S. grain complex point to uneven fundamentals across these crops, particularly in terms of global e...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Low Holiday Cheer

Grain markets traded without conviction today, see-sawing around unchanged and with modest volume. Aggies had WASDE day and outside markets had Fed day, and both events this week were kind of a bust. Some might consider it a positive to lack drama interrupting the holiday period, and that is th...

livestock

Livestock Round Up: WASDE Livestock

USDA’s World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report was released yesterday. The WASDE forecast corn exports for MY 2025-26 hitting a record high, topping the previous record of last year. The net change in the export forecast from a month ago was 125 million bushels, or a...

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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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