General Comments Markets started the month of November with lower trade in corn, soybeans and wheat futures markets. It was another day of a battle between much better demand than anticipated and expectations that next Friday's USDA reports will show increases in corn and soybean yield production estimates. Most of the anecdotal harvest yield reports seem better than expected, but those type of reports don't always translate into larger USDA crop production estimates. USDA did announce more export sales this morning with 115,000 MT of soybeans sold to China and 33,000 MT of soyoil sold to unknown. China also reported the strongest PMI in the last 18 months.The IGC increased the world corn and wheat production estimates, but Argentina r...
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.