Silver Bullet Misses In mythology, bullets cast from silver can stop werewolves and witches. In actual ballistic studies comparing bullets made of silver versus lead, the silver bullet was slower and less accurate. Now the shine has come of soda taxes as a silver bullet for improved public health and larger urban tax revenues. After being the law for just two months, the third largest city in the U.S., Chicago, has voted to end its one cent per ounce soda tax. This despite multi-millionaire Michael Bloomberg outspending the big soda companies nearly three to one in his war on sugar. Philadelphia, the sixth largest city in the U.S., has found that its soda tax is falling far short of projected revenues as residents’ travel outside th...
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.
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...