General Comments Grain and oilseed markets were generally quiet in light to moderate trade ahead of Monday's USDA quarterly stocks and final small grains production estimates. It is doubtful that there will be any major surprises, plus the corn and soybean harvests should start to gather some momentum once the cold front and rains pass through the Corn Belt.U.S. financial markets were lower as was the dollar index on the uncertainty of what Congress will do to fund the government. This seems to be a recurring story. Soy Complex FUTURES Soybeans were slightly higher through much of the session, but there was never any sustained buying or general market enthusiasm. Early soybean yields across the upper Midwest are all over the map. In...
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 €...
Key Takeaways: The tariff burden rose sharply in 2025 and 2026: the effective rate on imports in HTS Chapters 1–24 increased from 1.53 percent in 2024 to 6.11 percent in 2025, before averaging 5.68 percent in January–August 2026. Headline rates tell only part of the story: exemptio...
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.