The real story from Asia continues to be the expansion of the middle class and how that will continue to drive demand for everything from agricultural commodities to automobiles.When the world thinks of big growth and sharply increasing demand for agricultural commodities, it is always China that draws the headlines, and the topic is usually soybeans. I just participated in a series of wheat-related meetings in Southeast Asia, and some of the growth numbers among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries are also amazing. Here are a few to think about:
These countries are expected to see a population growth of another 140 million by 2040. Indonesia's middle class is reportedly expanding by 7 million people each year...
Key Takeaways: Milk alone has not covered the full economic cost in any year since 2021: milk revenue fell short by $4.50, $2.15, $6.50, $1.27 and $2.34 per hundredweight in 2021 through 2025. Calf and cattle prices decided whether dairies cleared cost: cattle and other income lifted total rev...
Key Takeaways: Dry bulk markets are mixed with Capesize rates seeing solid gains while Panamax values slipped on a growing tonnage list. Supramax and Handysize vessels were stronger, though all sectors remain vulnerable to the seasonal dip in rates through Q4 and into Q1. Falling water l...
What You Need to Know Today: The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady at 3.75 to 4.0 percent Wednesday, with two officials dissenting in favor of a 25-basis-point increase. The Fed upgraded its assessment of economic growth from "solid" to "strong" but adopted a more patient approa...
