Debt Leverage Volatility Markets hate uncertainty but the upcoming hardball political play in Washington is as transparent as cellophane. Congressional Democrats are going to put $3.5 trillion worth of deficit spending and policy dreams into a legislative package that they hope to steamroll over Republicans using the budget reconciliation process. The only leverage Republicans hold to prevent such a massive change in government policy and spending is the need to legislatively raise the official sanctioned amount of debt held by taxpayers. Failing to raise the debt ceiling would place taxpayers in default and will be framed as reckless by the Democrats. Ultimately, the debt ceiling will be raised but in small increments over time so that it...
What You Need to Know Today: Russia rejected calls for a ceasefire in the Black Sea, including a proposal to halt attacks on civilian shipping that could help restore grain flows from Ukrainian ports. Tyson Foods announced plans to permanently close its Joslin, Illinois, beef processing facili...
The big news in the cattle markets yesterday was Tyson Foods’ move to close two more beef plants. One of them, the Joslin, Illinois, plant was shuttered immediately after the announcement. The other, in Eagle Mountain, Utah, is a case-ready plant that does not slaughter cattle. Tyson also...
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) on Wednesday. In July, the CPI rose 0.1 percent, seasonally adjusted, and rose 3.4 percent over the last 12 months, not seasonally adjusted. The index for all items less food and energy, or the “core” infla...
From WPI Consulting
Accountability and a comprehensive approach to export programming
WPI’s team helped construct a strategic approach to develop, implement, and track promotional activities in 8 key regions across the globe for an agricultural export association. With continued progress measurement and strategic advisory services from WPI, the association has seen its ROI from investments in promotional programming increase by 44 percent over the past 5 years. Not only does this type of holistic approach to organizational strategy provide measurable results to track and analyze, it fosters top-down and bottom-up organizational accountability.