Two-Front Trade War President Trump is likely to highlight trade in his State of the Union address on Tuesday evening. He needs Congress to pass his USMCA, and he wants to persuade everyone that his trade fight with China is headed toward a good outcome. His problem is that congressional Democrats are as weary of handing him any kind of victory as are foreign trading partners. They will contend that in both cases he has failed to make significant gains. The 2020 election now being in the viewfinder, the risks to the U.S. economy and his complete ownership of adverse outcomes, evidenced by the government shutdown, mean that his nuclear threat of NAFTA withdrawal has lost its potential. Shutdown and Who in 2020 Technically, the gov...
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
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.