Yesterday’s big trading volume and price declines were tempered overnight with soybeans and wheat turning a bit higher while corn mostly stayed within fractions of Monday’s closes. Chicago and KC wheat prices were up in response to USDA’s first national winter wheat crop condition report, which had the lowest overall ratings in 16 years. Only 32 percent of winter wheat was called good/excellent. HRW ratings were the worst in many years, and SRW ratings were also below last year. The generally good condition of white wheat kept the overall winter wheat ratings from falling further. The impact of the Plains drought could be seen with poor/very poor ratings for the crops in Kansas (47 percent), Oklahoma (46 percent) and Texas...
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.