General Comments Eurozone leaders are trying to come up with some arrangement that will save Greece and the other debt-ridden countries, promote European economic growth, but still be fiscally austere enough to satisfy the Germans who would have to front the financing for much of whatever would be required. This is, to say the least, a tall order, and indeed it may not be possible. And even if such a plan were theoretically possible, the politics of getting all 17 eurozone countries to sign off on it might be the biggest obstacle of all.World markets are skeptical that a viable approach can be found, skepticism based on more than two years of unsuccessful efforts to resolve the issues in a way that holds the eurozone together. The odds o...
What You Need to Know Today: Cattle futures extended their sharp selloff Friday as weakening cash cattle prices, deteriorating feedlot profitability, and reduced packer demand continued to weigh on the market. The inability of futures to sustain a rally following last week's bullish Cattle on...
As predicted, the Federal Reserve held rates steady at the last meeting before the midterm elections, likely in part because of the election (see WPI 19 October and 22 September). The decision comes at the tail end of a midterm election cycle that has been marked by the two parties campaigning...
Key Takeaways: WPI’s new EU rapeseed crushing margin models point to weaker processing returns over the next four months due to higher rapeseed procurement costs and weaker product values. Statistical forecasts call for German crushing margins to decline from €181/MT to €...
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.