Grain and soy prices opened the overnight session weaker, which carried over into the day session. Traders are concerned about what might happen if the H7N9 bird flu were to become widespread and Chinese meal and soybean demand were seriously impaired. General Comments Although profit taking sent the U.S. dollar index lower today, most commodity prices still fell lower again. Precious and industrial metals declined as did most energy products. Crude oil was especially weak, falling $2 to below $77 as Saudi Arabia cut its price for crude oil to U.S. buyers. The Dow closed up 17 points, but the other stocks indexes were lower on fears that lower oil prices might do damage to oil companies. It appears the Saudis are ready for a price war wit...
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...
From WPI Consulting
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.