World Perspectives

Dollar Strength; Serious Africa Development; Warsaw-Brussels Fight

Dollar Strength U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin stirred the currency market last week by initially saying at Davos that a weaker U.S. dollar would be good for U.S. exports (which is true), but he then subsequently asserted that a strong U.S. dollar is in the country’s long-term interest. A survey of 42 leading economists by the University of Chicago’s Initiative on Global Markets concurred on Mr. Mnuchin’s latter point, although several respondents cautioned that the benefits are not “substantial.” One even said the benefit is probably small with seigniorage probably contributing just 0.1 percent to gross domestic product (GDP). Another economist mentioned the adverse impact of a strong U.S. dollar on e...

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Summary of Futures

Dec 25 Corn closed at $4.24/bushel, up $0.0025 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Wheat closed at $5.225/bushel, down $0.0175 from yesterday's close.  Nov 25 Soybeans closed at $10.255/bushel, down $0.12 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Soymeal closed at $284/short ton, down $0.7 fro...

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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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