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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Market Commentary: Late Corn Rally; Soyoil Aborts Complex; Wheat Splits

A mostly bullish overnight session was not sustained, splitting the soy complex and wheat. Corn rallied late to avert a loss. The morning opened with USDA’s Export Sales report reflecting the turn by buyers to lower-cost sources. There was good volume trading corn and the soy complex, and...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

May 26 Corn closed at $4.435/bushel, up $0.015 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Wheat closed at $5.745/bushel, up $0.0475 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.635/bushel, down $0.015 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soymeal closed at $320.9/short ton, down $0.9 fr...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Export Sales

Export Sales and Shipments for February 13-19, 2026  Wheat: Net sales of 243,000 metric tons (MT) for 2025/2026 were down 16 percent from the previous week and 43 percent from the prior 4-week average. Export shipments of 540,000 MT were up 67 percent from the previous week and 28 percent...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Late Corn Rally; Soyoil Aborts Complex; Wheat Splits

A mostly bullish overnight session was not sustained, splitting the soy complex and wheat. Corn rallied late to avert a loss. The morning opened with USDA’s Export Sales report reflecting the turn by buyers to lower-cost sources. There was good volume trading corn and the soy complex, and...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

May 26 Corn closed at $4.435/bushel, up $0.015 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Wheat closed at $5.745/bushel, up $0.0475 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.635/bushel, down $0.015 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soymeal closed at $320.9/short ton, down $0.9 fr...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Export Sales

Export Sales and Shipments for February 13-19, 2026  Wheat: Net sales of 243,000 metric tons (MT) for 2025/2026 were down 16 percent from the previous week and 43 percent from the prior 4-week average. Export shipments of 540,000 MT were up 67 percent from the previous week and 28 percent...

livestock

Livestock Round Up: Wholesale Protein CPI

During the State of the Union (SOTU) address, President Trump made several claims about food prices, citing reductions in costs to consumers. Food inflation is a major issue for voters, and the President is hyper-focused on beef prices in particular prior to the 2026 mid-term elections. The fin...

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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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