General Comments Markets were mixed in the overnight trade and for the first few hours of trade today. Corn and soybeans turned higher after Informa's latest production estimates were released. The market has gotten used to bearish numbers and maybe over-anticipated them again this month. There was never any real excitement today. We're in day four of the U.S. government shutdown, so there is no hard information about export activity to trade. It is possible that if the government is still closed next Monday, the 11 October USDA reports won't be released. That would mean another period of uncertainty about corn and soybean yields.Weather is also playing a role. There has yet to be any concentrated corn or soybean harvest activity. That...
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
Infrastructure investment due diligence
On behalf of a Canadian oilseed processer WPI's team provided market analysis, econometric modeling and financial due diligence in support of a $24 million-dollar investment in a Ukrainian crush plant. Consistent with WPI's findings, local production to supply the plant and the facility's output have expanded exponentially since the investment. WPI has conducted parallel work on behalf of U.S., South American and European clients, both private and public, in the agri-food space.