After yesterday's major market washout, some sort of recovery bounce was to be expected today, and that is exactly what the market provided. General Comments The chatter about USDA's surprisingly high corn and soybean yield and production estimates continues. Much of it revolves around expressions of doubt and disbelief coming from those who had convinced themselves that USDA would instead lower yields and production levels below the July projections. The doubters (closet bulls?) argue that USDA has over-estimated both corn and soybean yields and that lower estimates will show in future WASDEs. We also hear doubt being expressed over USDA's increased estimates of Russian and Ukrainian wheat production that led to a record-large world whea...
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
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.