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...
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.
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...