Enemy of my Enemy The Republic of China (aka Taiwan, formerly Formosa) has few friends. That is because the People’s Republic of China (aka Mainland China) uses its size and wealth to intimidate most countries into dissolving any formal relationship with the tiny island state. Even the U.S. has no embassy in Taipei, instead operating a pseudo mission called the American Institute in Taiwan. Now, however, the Taiwanese are suggesting a bilateral free-trade agreement, and the Trump administration sees a way to poke another finger in the eye of its detractors in Beijing. Last year the Trump administration approved its largest amount of weapons sales to Taiwan, although it was still far less than was sold during the Obama administration...
What You Need to Know Today: After a period of limited activity, USDA reported a sizeable 613 KMT in soybean export sales, including 330 KMT to China and 283 KMT to unknown destinations, potentially also China. The purchases represent a meaningful pickup in demand and bring China closer to ful...
Key Takeaways: Consumer spending is a key driver of the U.S. economy, and the latest retail sales data indicate that spending remains robust despite inflation. In September, total retail and food service sales rose more than 6 percent year-over-year, with food service spending up 7 percent and...
The Trump import plan for 300,000 MT of beef supplies used for ground beef, i.e., lean trim, from September through November has, according to Secretary Brooke Rollins, brought some relief to beef prices. The Executive Order states that the Secretary of Agriculture will analyze and review the m...
From WPI Consulting
Infrastructure investment due diligence
On behalf of a Canadian oilseed processer WPI's team provided market analysis, econometric modeling and financial due diligence in support of a $24 million-dollar investment in a Ukrainian crush plant. Consistent with WPI's findings, local production to supply the plant and the facility's output have expanded exponentially since the investment. WPI has conducted parallel work on behalf of U.S., South American and European clients, both private and public, in the agri-food space.