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: Waiting for Confirmation or Contradiction

The CBOT was mostly in the red to start the week with the bullishness from Friday’s WASDE report failing to trigger enthusiasm from bulls this week. Corn and soybeans both tried to rally and follow Friday’s bullish action, but quickly triggered farmer/hedge selling and profit taking...

Outlook for the Fed Meeting This Week

The Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will meet on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week with the make-up of the committee still up in the air. Governor Lisa Cook is questionable regarding her attendance after President Trump has sought her to ouster her on mortgage frau...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Dec 25 Corn closed at $4.2325/bushel, down $0.0675 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Wheat closed at $5.25/bushel, up $0.015 from yesterday's close.  Nov 25 Soybeans closed at $10.4275/bushel, down $0.035 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Soymeal closed at $285.7/short ton, down $2.9...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Waiting for Confirmation or Contradiction

The CBOT was mostly in the red to start the week with the bullishness from Friday’s WASDE report failing to trigger enthusiasm from bulls this week. Corn and soybeans both tried to rally and follow Friday’s bullish action, but quickly triggered farmer/hedge selling and profit taking...

Outlook for the Fed Meeting This Week

The Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will meet on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week with the make-up of the committee still up in the air. Governor Lisa Cook is questionable regarding her attendance after President Trump has sought her to ouster her on mortgage frau...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Dec 25 Corn closed at $4.2325/bushel, down $0.0675 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Wheat closed at $5.25/bushel, up $0.015 from yesterday's close.  Nov 25 Soybeans closed at $10.4275/bushel, down $0.035 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Soymeal closed at $285.7/short ton, down $2.9...

Chemo-phobia on Steroids

Notably, Congressional Republicans followed the demands of farm groups and added a provision in the latest government funding bill that some say would shield pesticide companies from lawsuits. Companies like Bayer have battled lawsuits for selling pesticides lawfully approved for use by regulat...

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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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