U.S.-China Chasm The signals out of Beijing and Washington are confusing on the surface but that is only because of how deep the fissures are when it comes to the substance of the disagreements. On the surface, China is signaling that an agreement can be reached while President Trump is stalling as a leverage technique. Perhaps more important is looking at the extent of the differences. Some believe that China’s real position was revealed this week when it pulled out of the Global Steel Forum. Since Beijing is the largest source of imbalances in the world’s steel market, its unwillingness to negotiate a resolution bodes ill for the many other areas of state-driven supply/demand problems. China might have taken heart in...
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.