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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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...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.465/bushel, up $0.0225 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.335/bushel, up $0.04 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soybeans closed at $10.935/bushel, up $0.0225 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soymeal closed at $302.1/short ton, up $0.9 from y...

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...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.465/bushel, up $0.0225 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.335/bushel, up $0.04 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soybeans closed at $10.935/bushel, up $0.0225 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soymeal closed at $302.1/short ton, up $0.9 from y...

No Trade Bailout; Statements Betray USMCA

No Trade Bailout The Trump Administration’s $12 billion economic assistance package to farmers is being framed by the media as a “bailout” for the adverse impact of the President’s tariffs and trade wars. But there is no adverse impact in most instances. Wheat prices hav...

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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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