The spring of 2013 is here, sort of, and grain and soy futures markets turn toward analyzing prospects for the new crops that will be sown during the next several weeks. For some traders, this represents relief after many months of focus on drought-damaged U.S. production in 2012 and the subsequent squeeze on corn and soybean supplies that drove futures prices to very high levels -- and in some cases, record high levels. For other traders, the market's attention to potentially large 2013 crops in the U.S. and the rest of the Northern Hemisphere signals the end of a long-term bull market. It began in the second quarter of 2010, took a pause from the third quarter of 2011 until the second quarter of 2012, then roared off again until early t...
What You Need to Know Today: Commodities were mostly lower across the board today after yesterday’s Federal Reserve meeting hinted at a potential interest rate hike later in 2026. The dollar index reached its highest level in over a year, and a strong dollar makes U.S. agricultural expor...
Tomorrow is the Juneteenth federal holiday, and the USDA, along with the rest of the federal government and the CME, will be closed, so the monthly Cattle on Feed report was released a day early. The total number of cattle on feed in feedlots with 1,000 head or more capacity on 1 June amounted...
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.