World Perspectives

WPI Transportation Report

Dry Bulk Markets Dry bulk markets were mixed this week with Capesize vessel rates initially pushing higher, but then failing on reduced coal, iron ore, and bauxite demand and shipments. Rates for Capes were particularly sensitive to China’s weakening coal import demand and the country’s broader economic growth prospects.  The Capesize FFA 5TC forward curve showed a little strength on short-covering profit-taking, but weakness in the physical markets minimized any  upside gains. The Panamax and Supramax sectors saw modest increases in rates as grain demand from South America offered support. Rates on the Baltic Exchange fell for the third straight week, due primarily to weakness in the Capesize sector.  The lon...

Related Articles
feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Corn, Soy Firm on Bull Spreading (and Exports?); Cattle Hit New Highs

The CBOT was mostly firmer on Wednesday with rumors circulating that export business is getting done – perhaps aggressively – without the USDA to publish the daily “flash” export sales report. Bull spreading in corn and soybeans likely belies this activity, as does the r...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Dec 25 Corn closed at $4.22/bushel, up $0.0225 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Wheat closed at $5.0725/bushel, up $0.005 from yesterday's close.  Nov 25 Soybeans closed at $10.295/bushel, up $0.075 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Soymeal closed at $278/short ton, up $1.1 from yes...

Animal Welfare Metrics; Transatlantic NTB’s; More Elegant Trade Rules

Animal Welfare Metrics The U.S. Justice Department is suing California over its Prop 12 animal welfare standards adversely impacting hog and poultry producers in other states. For some, the suit is a rejection of federalism (states rights) even as the Trump Administration seeks to defang Washin...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Corn, Soy Firm on Bull Spreading (and Exports?); Cattle Hit New Highs

The CBOT was mostly firmer on Wednesday with rumors circulating that export business is getting done – perhaps aggressively – without the USDA to publish the daily “flash” export sales report. Bull spreading in corn and soybeans likely belies this activity, as does the r...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Dec 25 Corn closed at $4.22/bushel, up $0.0225 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Wheat closed at $5.0725/bushel, up $0.005 from yesterday's close.  Nov 25 Soybeans closed at $10.295/bushel, up $0.075 from yesterday's close.  Dec 25 Soymeal closed at $278/short ton, up $1.1 from yes...

Animal Welfare Metrics; Transatlantic NTB’s; More Elegant Trade Rules

Animal Welfare Metrics The U.S. Justice Department is suing California over its Prop 12 animal welfare standards adversely impacting hog and poultry producers in other states. For some, the suit is a rejection of federalism (states rights) even as the Trump Administration seeks to defang Washin...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

U.S. 2025/26 Crop Balance Sheets Growing Heavy

WPI’s latest forecasts for the U.S. corn, soybean, wheat, and sorghum markets in 2025/26 are increasingly leaning bearish due to expected larger supplies and, except for corn, weaker demand. China’s continued absence from the soybean and sorghum markets is a major headwind for the a...

Image
From WPI Consulting

Communicating importance of value-added products

Facing increasing pressure to quantify the value of export promotion efforts to investors, a U.S. industry organization retained WPI to develop a quantitative model that better communicated the importance of exports. The resulting model concluded that value-added meat exports contributed $0.45 cents per bushel to the price of corn, increasing support for that sector’s financial support of WPI’s client. In addition to serving the red meat industry with this type of analysis, WPI has generated similar deliverables for the U.S. soybean and poultry/egg industries.

Search World Perspectives

Sign In to World Perspectives

Don’t have an account yet? Sign Up