Milling Wheat The market in the Black Sea had a quiet start after the holidays. The Russian and the Ukrainian old crop wheat positions are practically unspoken for. The weather in Russia and Ukraine has not posed any threats to the winter wheat crop's development, because despite the limited amount of snow, the winter has been relatively mild so far. We started to hear discussions about new crop Russian wheat (September 2013) at around $275 FOB (about a $20 discount to French wheat and more than a $55 discount to U.S. SRW). Despite the attractive value for Russian wheat, not many traders would risk buying it today because there is a long way to go until the new crop becomes a reality and the risks involved in such a trade are still very...
What You Need to Know Today: Cattle futures extended their sharp selloff Friday as weakening cash cattle prices, deteriorating feedlot profitability, and reduced packer demand continued to weigh on the market. The inability of futures to sustain a rally following last week's bullish Cattle on...
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 €...
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.