The older you get, the shorter your Christmas list gets. And so it is with me. The list not only becomes shorter but also simpler. And so it is with my market Christmas list.
I would like a few weeks or months of low volatility. I am really tired of the fund-induced volatility that can bring us 10 percent or more of price changes in a just a few days that are often not related to fundamentals in any way, shape or form. This extreme volatility has chopped up many market participants, including funds, small and large speculators, and end-users. I would like to see trading hours reduced. Volume through much of the current 21-hour session is insignificant. Not everyone needs instant market gratification! I would like to see a few states...
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: 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...
