World Perspectives
feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

The Good and the Bad

It has been said that commodities futures markets are zero-sum games, that someone’s gains are always offset by someone else’s losses. Whereas that may be narrowly true in theory, it certainly is not the case for the broader business of growing, handling, transporting, processing and exporting bulk commodities. Nor is it true when bulk commodities are transformed into consumer products. Like any economic activity, the commodity business is affected by influences that are good and those that are bad. They do not necessarily offset one another but do offer some balance to some extent. Following is an ad hoc list of some topics that offer good and bad influences over agribusinesses. The U.S.-China Trade Dispute The Good: China h...

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Livestock Industry Margins

The pork industry saw production margins improve last week as strong pork demand lifted prices for both the pork cutout and physical hogs. Pork packer margins ticked slightly higher as gains in the pork market outpaced those in the hog market while higher lean hog futures and a slight dip in fe...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Cattle Hit New Records while Wheat Hits New Lows; Planting in Focus

The CBOT was mostly lower to start the week with expectations of favorable planting progress in this afternoon’s Crop Progress report creating much of the pressure. Wheat was the big loser for the day with favorable weather in the major growing regions prompting a strong wave of selling f...

Quick Hits

Canadian Elections: Canada is going to the polls today. Earlier in the year, the Liberal Party was out of favor in Canada, but Trump’s talk of the 51st State has changed the dynamics of the election. Canada has six time zones, so the final results will be in late tonight.  SCP Safegu...

livestock

Livestock Industry Margins

The pork industry saw production margins improve last week as strong pork demand lifted prices for both the pork cutout and physical hogs. Pork packer margins ticked slightly higher as gains in the pork market outpaced those in the hog market while higher lean hog futures and a slight dip in fe...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Cattle Hit New Records while Wheat Hits New Lows; Planting in Focus

The CBOT was mostly lower to start the week with expectations of favorable planting progress in this afternoon’s Crop Progress report creating much of the pressure. Wheat was the big loser for the day with favorable weather in the major growing regions prompting a strong wave of selling f...

Quick Hits

Canadian Elections: Canada is going to the polls today. Earlier in the year, the Liberal Party was out of favor in Canada, but Trump’s talk of the 51st State has changed the dynamics of the election. Canada has six time zones, so the final results will be in late tonight.  SCP Safegu...

Hard Hit with Benefits; American Consumerism; AI’s Trump Trade Solution

Hard Hit with Benefits U.S. agriculture will likely bear the brunt of retaliation by trading partners responding to Mr. Trump’s tariff war, but it could also be the largest beneficiary. Various capitals easily calculate that U.S. farmers strongly supported Trump for President, with farmin...

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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.

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