Consumer spending was unusually strong as it surged 0.9 percent in March, the largest gain since 2005 with the exception of one month in 2009.
The release this week of puny GDP growth was shrugged off by most of the market. Anticipation of low growth was built into expectations because of the extremely cold and snowy winter that disrupted a great deal of economic activity. The economy grew at a rate of 0.1 percent. Weakness was across the board except for consumer spending. Looking deeper into the numbers by singling out key factors like consumer spending, business investment and home building, the first quarter rate of growth hit 1.9 percent in annual terms. Those categories are likewise up 2.6 percent in the past year and well within t...
What You Need to Know Today: Chinese purchases of U.S. soybeans continued to accelerate, with USDA reporting another 558 KMT sold to China and 236 KMT to unknown destinations. Combined with sales announced Wednesday and Thursday, the latest purchases bring the three-day total to approximately...
Key Takeaways: With the fall calf run now upon us, producers are finally getting a glimpse of what their realized profits will be for 2026. Some producers may have already obtained a strong estimate of 2026 revenues, especially if calves were forward sold in, for example, the mid-summer...
As fall begins, wild migratory birds are starting their seasonal migration. That has the industry and government officials worried about the potential spread, again, of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Some members of Congress have called for the United States to be prepared for a pote...
