The inflating costs of energy has some policymakers concerned about its impact on the economic recovery as consumers redirect their spending obligations. However, it is important to weigh inflation relative to the base cost. For example, energy costs are inflating faster in the U.S. and Canada, but the base cost of electricity in these two countries is half that of the UK, Italy, or Japan. Germans pay nearly three times as much for electricity as Americans or Canadians and so the impact of any inflation is worse. In Italy, energy costs are high and so is the inflation rate, making it far more concerning. A similar situation exists in the food sector. Food inflation in Canada and the U.S. at 2 percent and 2.5 percent respectively, is...
What You Need to Know Today: U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent said Friday that the U.S. has seized $1b of Iranian crypto assets. Iran’s IGGC says 15 merchant vessels, including 4 oil tankers, have passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours. Managed money traders...
Developer's Note: Last year, users pointed out differences between the 5-year averages reported in this app and what USDA estimates in its weekly report. The difference exists because WPI calculates average based on the last 5 years of observations for the current week. In cases where obs...
Game of Chicken The U.S. and Mexico just completed an initial round of bilateral negotiations leading up to completing a joint review of the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA). A second round is scheduled for June 16-17 in Washington and will include agriculture as a key agenda item. A third...
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.