World Perspectives
livestock

Cow-Calf Revenues Set Record in 2024, Profitability to Continue in 2025

The rally in feeder cattle and calf prices from September 2024 through mid-January 2025 provided cow-calf producers with near-record profitability for the 2024 calf crop. Higher prices for calves and feeder cattle, combined with record- or near-record high values for cull cows, pushed cow-calf operations’ revenues to new all-time highs in 2024. WPI’s early projections for 2025 indicate producers are likely to see similar profitability levels for the coming year with high expected cattle prices set against declining feed costs. 2024 ProfitsCow-calf margins improved significantly from October through December as feeder cattle futures rallied and supported calf prices. Too, basis levels for steers and heifers were above historic norms for...

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WPI Grain Transportation Report

Dry bulk freight markets rallied this week buyers extending coverage ahead of China’s Golden Week festival in 1-8 October. The rally came partly from an uptick in cargo demand but mostly from vessel supply disruptions stemming from the U.S. fees against Chinese vessels. This is causing Ch...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Calm, Confident, But Correct?

The trading before a major WSDE report always entails differing vibes. It is more volatile when there is wide variance in expectations, and more subdued when the mood is more sublime. This might count as the latter except where it wasn’t.   The volume trading corn, wheat and soy...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Dec 25 Corn closed at $4.1975/bushel, up $0.0275 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Wheat closed at $5.215/bushel, up $0.065 from yesterday's close.  Nov 25 Soybeans closed at $10.335/bushel, up $0.0825 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Soymeal closed at $287.7/short ton, up $1.9 from...

WPI Grain Transportation Report

Dry bulk freight markets rallied this week buyers extending coverage ahead of China’s Golden Week festival in 1-8 October. The rally came partly from an uptick in cargo demand but mostly from vessel supply disruptions stemming from the U.S. fees against Chinese vessels. This is causing Ch...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Calm, Confident, But Correct?

The trading before a major WSDE report always entails differing vibes. It is more volatile when there is wide variance in expectations, and more subdued when the mood is more sublime. This might count as the latter except where it wasn’t.   The volume trading corn, wheat and soy...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Dec 25 Corn closed at $4.1975/bushel, up $0.0275 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Wheat closed at $5.215/bushel, up $0.065 from yesterday's close.  Nov 25 Soybeans closed at $10.335/bushel, up $0.0825 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Soymeal closed at $287.7/short ton, up $1.9 from...

Livestock Roundup: Inflation Is Up

The CPI released this morning showed that August prices increased 0.4 percent and 2.9 percent over the last 12 months. For food at home, the index rose to 0.6 percent in August and for 0.3 percent for food away from home. The August data compares to a drop of -0.1 percent in July and 2.7 percen...

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From WPI Consulting

Infrastructure investment due diligence

On behalf of a Canadian oilseed processer WPI's team provided market analysis, econometric modeling and financial due diligence in support of a $24 million-dollar investment in a Ukrainian crush plant. Consistent with WPI's findings, local production to supply the plant and the facility's output have expanded exponentially since the investment. WPI has conducted parallel work on behalf of U.S., South American and European clients, both private and public, in the agri-food space.

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