If one wishes to attract attention, one of the best ways is to be successful. Said another way, success attracts attention, whether or not it is wanted. Success that attracts attention also will frequently attract competition.The CME Group, which already operated highly successful futures markets, acquired the CBOT with its grain, interest rate and T-bond futures contracts in 2007. Shortly thereafter, CME also bought the NYMEX with its WTI crude oil contract along with other energy related contracts in 2008. With these acquisitions, the CME controlled an estimated 96 percent of futures trade in the U.S., and it established a dominant position in world derivative trade. Other futures exchanges listed similar contracts for interest rates, c...
Key Takeaways: President Trump announced $8 billion in additional agricultural assistance through the Harvest Fuel Relief Program, as USDA projects farm fuel and oil expenses will increase 28.8 percent in 2026. The package follows $12 billion in earlier relief, while government farm payments w...
Key Takeaways: A student group from the University of Chicago is protesting to bring back onion futures trading. Trading in onion futures was banned in 1958 following a spectacular bout of market manipulation that resulted in a corner of the physical market. The ban on onion futures led t...
Beef packer margins deteriorated to $141/head last week, down $55 from the prior week as fed cattle prices strengthened while the Choice cutout remained nearly unchanged. The cutout held near $373/cwt while fed cattle prices climbed $4/cwt to $224/cwt, narrowing processor profits. Despite the d...
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.