World Perspectives
biofuel energy

Labor Day: Good News, Bad News for Ethanol Demand

A snapshot of the fuel market shows what could be the classic “good news, bad news” scenario for ethanol demand. The good news is that it’s Labor Day weekend and increased driving ratchets up motor fuel demand. Gasoline prices are higher as well, which increases blending margins. The bad news is that the Labor Day weekend will be over in three days and motor fuel use will fall off. First, a closer look at the good news. As of Monday, 27 August, the average retail price for regular gasoline was $2.83/gallon, $0.43 higher than last year and the highest price on the Monday before Labor Day since 2014. Crude oil prices are seemingly driving gasoline prices, and a $1/barrel increase in the crude oil price – all other thi...

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

May 25 Corn closed at $4.72/bushel, down $0.0375 from yesterday's close.  Jul 25 Wheat closed at $5.435/bushel, down $0.0675 from yesterday's close.  May 25 Soybeans closed at $10.4025/bushel, up $0.0525 from yesterday's close.  Jul 25 Soymeal closed at $298.6/short ton, down $0...

Green Win/Lose, China Win, China Lose, Foreign Aid

Greens Win/Lose The only government-backed organization to say glyphosate is carcinogenic is the UN’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). U.S. EPA, the EU’s EFSA and other reputable government agencies have found this to not be true. But it is enough for Bayer to los...

FOB Prices and Freight Rates App (Updated 23 April)

Transportation and Freight Market Comments - 11 April 2025 By Matt Herrington Dry-Bulk Ocean Freight The trade war(s) and the possible Section 301 penalties against Chinese vessels docking at U.S. ports have kept freight markets exceptionally volatile in recent weeks. This week’s trend wa...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

May 25 Corn closed at $4.72/bushel, down $0.0375 from yesterday's close.  Jul 25 Wheat closed at $5.435/bushel, down $0.0675 from yesterday's close.  May 25 Soybeans closed at $10.4025/bushel, up $0.0525 from yesterday's close.  Jul 25 Soymeal closed at $298.6/short ton, down $0...

Green Win/Lose, China Win, China Lose, Foreign Aid

Greens Win/Lose The only government-backed organization to say glyphosate is carcinogenic is the UN’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). U.S. EPA, the EU’s EFSA and other reputable government agencies have found this to not be true. But it is enough for Bayer to los...

FOB Prices and Freight Rates App (Updated 23 April)

Transportation and Freight Market Comments - 11 April 2025 By Matt Herrington Dry-Bulk Ocean Freight The trade war(s) and the possible Section 301 penalties against Chinese vessels docking at U.S. ports have kept freight markets exceptionally volatile in recent weeks. This week’s trend wa...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: CBOT Ends Mixed on Planting Pace, Weather, South American Outlook

The CBOT ended mixed on Tuesday as traders parsed through a slew of different data points. Perhaps the most influential news for the day was private crop analysts’ upward revisions to the Brazilian and Argentine corn crops, which combined with a strong start to planting the U.S. 2025 crop...

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From WPI Consulting

Illuminating the value of technical research

On behalf of a commodity producer organization, WPI evaluated the outputs from a project that featured a $5 million investment into technical research over multiple years. WPI’s team captured the results of this extensive effort and synthesized them for presentation to the organization’s governing board; among the findings uncovered and presented for the first time was the development of genomic traits proven, via rigorous testing, to provide crop yield advantages of 50 percent or more to U.S. farmers in times of drought. Capturing measurable results from long-term efforts can be challenging. Educating clients on the dynamics of success measurement when quantifiable results are not readily available requires deep client-consultant collaboration and an ability to consider both near- and long-term client aspirations with market/policy dynamics – attributes that WPI brings to every consulting engagement.

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