World Perspectives

Who is Paying for U.S. Tariffs?

Over the course of 2025, the average tariff rate on U.S. imports increased from 2.6 percent at the beginning of the year to 13 percent by year-end. It then spiked in April and May, when tariffs on Chinese goods were raised by 125 percentage points, before being reversed by 115 percentage points in mid-May. These new tariffs have an impact on the exporter, the U.S. importer, and the final consumer in the U.S. A look at the chart below shows the impact of the tariffs from 2017, 2024, and 2025 – the order of the countries is based on the 2017 import market share. These seven exporters accounted for approximately 80 percent of U.S. imports in 2017, with Chinese goods making up nearly 25 percent of total imports that year. Following a 9-pe...

Related Articles
feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

 May 26 Corn closed at $4.5575/bushel, down $0.0625 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Wheat closed at $6.07/bushel, up $0.02 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.5975/bushel, up $0.005 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soymeal closed at $314.9/short ton, down $...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: CBOT Cautious Ahead of Acreage, Stocks Reports

The CBOT took a bit of a breather on Monday as traders waited for the upcoming Prospective Plantings and Grain Stocks reports, which the USDA will issue Tuesday at midday. Traders were reluctant to expand risk too much ahead of these two reports, which often change market direction and tone for...

Forlorn or Failure; Fertile or Futile; AI Impacts; Dirty Dozen Disinformation

Forlorn or Failure The spin from the WTO on the organization’s recent MC14 meetings was that a lot of decisions were adopted, progress was made, and while the event “ran out of time,” new commitments on outstanding issues can still be made in Geneva. Director-General Ngozi Oko...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

 May 26 Corn closed at $4.5575/bushel, down $0.0625 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Wheat closed at $6.07/bushel, up $0.02 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.5975/bushel, up $0.005 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soymeal closed at $314.9/short ton, down $...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: CBOT Cautious Ahead of Acreage, Stocks Reports

The CBOT took a bit of a breather on Monday as traders waited for the upcoming Prospective Plantings and Grain Stocks reports, which the USDA will issue Tuesday at midday. Traders were reluctant to expand risk too much ahead of these two reports, which often change market direction and tone for...

Forlorn or Failure; Fertile or Futile; AI Impacts; Dirty Dozen Disinformation

Forlorn or Failure The spin from the WTO on the organization’s recent MC14 meetings was that a lot of decisions were adopted, progress was made, and while the event “ran out of time,” new commitments on outstanding issues can still be made in Geneva. Director-General Ngozi Oko...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Prospective Planting and Quarterly Stocks Reports Preview

The 2026 USDA Prospective Plantings Report is scheduled for release tomorrow. The report surveys farmer planting intentions for major crops, including corn, soybeans, and wheat. It also asks about 2025 planted and prevent-plant acres. This report gives the first real snapshot of what planted ac...

Image
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.

Search World Perspectives

Sign In to World Perspectives

Don’t have an account yet? Sign Up