As Matt Herrington has been covering, Live cattle and feeder cattle futures have been volatile since the day after Thanksgiving – but trending mostly bearish. This has sparked considerable conversation about the structure of the contracts, expanded limits, and liquidity in the market. The supply and demand fundamentals in the cattle market certainly suggested a more bearish outlook as an increased number of cattle were placed in feedlots and on-feed inventories built up. September placements were 106 percent and 1 October feedlot inventories were 101 percent of a year ago. October placements were 104 percent and 1 November inventories were 102 percent of year ago numbers. Given the short cattle supply situation in July,...
The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) enters its mandated six-year review on 1 July. The original intent of the review is outlined in Article 34.7, which obligates members to: Provide recommendations and decide on appropriate actions. Extend the USMCA for another 16 years and meet aga...
Key Market Insights Geopolitical Limbo: Geopolitical risk remained a key driver across global commodity markets today. President Trump stated that the Iran memorandum of understanding is not yet final and warned that military action could resume if negotiations fail. Both sides continue w...
Key Takeaways: Drought remains a major threat to global agricultural production, particularly in regions with limited rainfall and growing water scarcity. Commercially available drought-tolerant traits in corn, soybeans, and wheat have generally delivered modest yield improvements, limiting th...
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.