The grain markets “closed early” today as most trader’s attention turned to the start of NCAA’s March Madness basketball tournament. Trading volume was light with little fresh information to move the markets. USDA’s Export Sales report featured big volumes of corn and soybeans sold against only modest exports. Consequently, much of the trade is wondering if USDA’s projections can be reached this year. WPI’s analysis below shows YTD exports severely lag the “normal” pace and present volumes suggest a much lower export figure for the three major grains. The export pace for corn is increasing, yes, but it remains questionable whether it will be sufficient to reach USDA’s projec...
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.