World Perspectives

Whither Trade

Analysts are intensely studying the changes in trade flows and their composition following the reversal from free trade by the Trump Administration, the concerns about supply chains due to COVID, and now the de-risking of the West from China. Supply chains have gotten slightly shorter. Overall global trade volume slowed in 2022 and 2023, though value increased on higher prices, and the WTO expects a uptick in 2024. Falling commodity prices will no doubt be helpful, as will growth in GDP.  Few sectors have experienced the reversal in trade fortunes as U.S. agriculture. The strong dollar ended the previous robust annual growth in exports, at the same time it provided added incentives to imports. The result is that the agricultural trade...

Related Articles
feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: 2025 Brings Corrections for Overbought Futures

The CBOT started 2025 on a relatively strong note, but any hints of bullishness were largely erased on Friday. Ag markets across the board fell sharply on the second trading day of the new year with weak export data, South American weather, and changes on taxes on trading profits driving much o...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Mar 25 Corn closed at $4.5075/bushel, down $0.0875 from yesterday's close. Mar 25 Wheat closed at $5.2925/bushel, down $0.165 from yesterday's close. Mar 25 Soybeans closed at $9.9175/bushel, down $0.2025 from yesterday's close. Mar 25 Soymeal closed at $308.6/short ton, down $11...

livestock

2025 Poultry Outlook

The poultry sector is poised for production growth in 2025, but price trends are expected to vary across products. Broiler growers in the U.S. placed 191 million chicks for meat production last week, which was up 4 percent from the last week of December 2023. Cumulative placements from the...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: 2025 Brings Corrections for Overbought Futures

The CBOT started 2025 on a relatively strong note, but any hints of bullishness were largely erased on Friday. Ag markets across the board fell sharply on the second trading day of the new year with weak export data, South American weather, and changes on taxes on trading profits driving much o...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Mar 25 Corn closed at $4.5075/bushel, down $0.0875 from yesterday's close. Mar 25 Wheat closed at $5.2925/bushel, down $0.165 from yesterday's close. Mar 25 Soybeans closed at $9.9175/bushel, down $0.2025 from yesterday's close. Mar 25 Soymeal closed at $308.6/short ton, down $11...

livestock

2025 Poultry Outlook

The poultry sector is poised for production growth in 2025, but price trends are expected to vary across products. Broiler growers in the U.S. placed 191 million chicks for meat production last week, which was up 4 percent from the last week of December 2023. Cumulative placements from the...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: New Year, Same Trend - Corn and Beans Higher, Wheat Not

Corn and soybeans opened lower but quickly shifted back to positive territory. All three wheats were lower in overnight trading and pretty much traded lower all during the day session. There was good volume trading in HRW, cattle and feeders. March feeder cattle hit a new contract high. Lean ho...

Image
From WPI Consulting

Forecasting developments in production agriculture

On behalf of a private U.S. agricultural technology provider, WPI’s team generated an econometric model to forecast the movement of concentrated corn production north and west from the traditional U.S. Corn Belt. WPI’s model has subsequently provided quantitative support to a multi-million-dollar investment into short-season corn variety development. WPI’s methodology included a series of interviews with regional grain elevators and seed consultants. Emphasizing outreach and communication with stakeholders who possess intimate sectoral knowledge – on-the-ground insights – is a regular component of WPI’s methodologies, made possible by WPI’s ever-growing network of industry contacts.

Search World Perspectives

Sign In to World Perspectives

Don’t have an account yet? Sign Up