General Comments Grain and soy futures were firmer overnight, and volume was noticeably improved as traders anticipated that USDA's weekly export sales report would show another week of good sales volume. They were not disappointed. Net export sales for everything except soymeal came in above the average trade guesses. The market was starving for something to support prices, and the export sales report provided it at least for today.The report was especially supportive of the soy complex. Net soybean sales of 1.3764 MMT were well above expectations as were sales of 95,800 MT of soyoil. A sale of 40,000 MT to India was reported previously under the daily system, but there was an additional sale of 34,800 MT to unknown as well as sales t...
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.