General Comments In the short term grain and soy markets are contending with two main sources of influence: weather and demand. The weather factor consists of the huge winter storm now underway over the Rocky Mountains, the Plains and Western Midwest. The southern reaches of the storm are experiencing rain, but today and Thursday most of the areas involved are facing a heavy snowfall that will be blown around by strong winds. Snowfall of 12 inches will be common in Colorado, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota. For many parts of the drought-parched region this will be the first significant precipitation in 5-6 months, and as such will be most welcome. Unfortunately, weather models project this storm as a one-time event rather tha...
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.