USDA released its weekly sales report last week with some mixed news, but another trade report has some interesting insights into the overall economy: the August international trade report from the Department of Commerce. The U.S. trade deficit in all goods and services was $54.9 billion in August; that compares to a deficit of $54 billion in July. Exports actually increased $500 million in August (0.2 percent), but imports rose faster at $1.3 billion (0.5 percent). The most important economic indicator from this is that the total volume of trade increased. Indeed, from an economic perspective, the total volume of trade is an important indicator as it reflects the trend in overall economic activity. Augu...
What You Need to Know Today: Commodities were mostly lower across the board today after yesterday’s Federal Reserve meeting hinted at a potential interest rate hike later in 2026. The dollar index reached its highest level in over a year, and a strong dollar makes U.S. agricultural expor...
Tomorrow is the Juneteenth federal holiday, and the USDA, along with the rest of the federal government and the CME, will be closed, so the monthly Cattle on Feed report was released a day early. The total number of cattle on feed in feedlots with 1,000 head or more capacity on 1 June amounted...
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.