Soybeans Brazil The soybean market came alive again last week, which was more than welcome after several slow months. Chinese firms were buying some positions of Brazilian soybeans, although the main activity involved trading houses moving positions from the spot month to July. To fully understand last week’s activity, one must start by looking at South American production prospects. For weeks now, Brazil’s production estimates have been dropping due to the drought there. There is currently very little talk of a crop above 120 MMT, a stark contrast to December when most analysts were discussing 123 MMT and some had estimates of 129 MMT! The drought that hit the northern part of Brazil, especially the states of Maranhao, Piau...
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
Infrastructure investment due diligence
On behalf of a Canadian oilseed processer WPI's team provided market analysis, econometric modeling and financial due diligence in support of a $24 million-dollar investment in a Ukrainian crush plant. Consistent with WPI's findings, local production to supply the plant and the facility's output have expanded exponentially since the investment. WPI has conducted parallel work on behalf of U.S., South American and European clients, both private and public, in the agri-food space.