World Perspectives
feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Dark Days for Commodity Funds

There are innumerable variations among commodity funds and how they are managed/ traded, but they share one very consistent characteristic.Trading by pools of professionally-managed money, obtained from what are loosely referred to as investors, has been a factor in grain futures markets since the 1970s. Generically, these pools are called commodity funds or just simply funds. The concept, more or less patterned after mutual funds, usually involves a proprietor who creates a fund designed to speculate in certain commodity markets in a defined manner using a proscribed set of trading techniques and methodology. The first such funds to participate in grain futures markets (that we are aware of) were started on a small scale in the years follo...

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Black Sea Regional Analysis

Russian Grain Markets: 21 – 25 April 2025 Crop Outlook 2025 The spring planting campaign in Russia is in full swing. Fifty-six regions of Russia are reportedly planting spring crops, and this season is showing much better speed than last year. To date, around 10.5 million hectares (Mha) a...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Jul 25 Corn closed at $4.7025/bushel, down $0.13 from yesterday's close.  Jul 25 Wheat closed at $5.255/bushel, down $0.055 from yesterday's close.  Jul 25 Soybeans closed at $10.5275/bushel, down $0.0975 from yesterday's close.  Jul 25 Soymeal closed at $298.2/short ton, up $2.3...

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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.

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