The series of important and delayed USDA reports that were released last Friday did take some of the uncertainty away from the markets. The problem, though, is they didn’t contain any unexpected or surprising numbers. The single USDA report that could be supportive is the one concerning weekly export sales numbers, but that won’t get current until the end of this month. Apprehension and confusion surrounding the U.S. budget and the ongoing China trade negotiations continue to leave the markets uncertain and, more importantly, nervous. Congressional negotiations over the border barrier and the budget broke down over the weekend. The news last week about these talks had at least been hopeful with some legitimate chance that an ag...
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.