Markets opened strong last night, and the soybean market extended that strength into big gains today. The story was the unexpectedly good news that the U.S. and China have declared a truce in the potential trade war with all potential duties and tariffs suspended. U.S. soybean exports to China are of course the big winner, and futures responded accordingly. Wheat, on the other hand, was lower. The problem with wheat stemmed from rains across Texas over the weekend plus a chance for rainfall across parts of West Australia late this week. Corn was strong early before dropping to steady and finishing basically unchanged. U.S. equity markets also had a very big day on the China trade news and held their gains for the entire session. Crude oil...
What You Need to Know Today: U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent said the U.S. and Iran could “today or tomorrow” reach a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Despite the Secretary’s claims, an attack on a vessel off the Omani coast suggests plenty of risk remains in forming a lo...
Beef packer margins slipped modestly for the first time in four weeks, declining $15/head to -$78 as fed cattle prices firmed while boxed beef values continued to weaken. The Choice cutout eased another $2.63/cwt to $364.69, while dressed cattle prices fell only $2.76/cwt to $362.25/cwt, limiti...
Key Takeaways: Offal represents an important segment of global meat trade by adding value to underutilized portions of livestock carcasses and improving overall resource efficiency. Strong export demand for products such as pork variety meats and chicken feet allows processors to maximize carc...
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.