U.S. stocks were slightly lower early in the day, but they recovered to show small gains as the Fed meeting finished. Neither anticipation of the Fed’s latest comment nor its aftermath had much impact on grain and soy futures markets. They again traded in low volume and relatively narrow ranges. General Comments The U.S. Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) concluded its January meeting today. Another rate increase was not expected so soon after December’s and hints of more to come in 2016. However, given China’s slowdown, the oil price implosion and all of the world economic and market turmoil since last month’s hike, markets were awaiting the Fed’s post-meeting statement for hints of any changes in its attitude and fut...
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.