Black Sea Regional Analysis
Russian Grain Markets: 15-19 April 2019 While grain prices on the domestic market mostly dropped in RUB expression, they grew slightly in USD expression due to the strengthening of the ruble. Meanwhile, the average milling wheat sea export price fell to $222/MT FOB Black Sea, and purchase price...
Tri-Rift; Labor Waves
Tri-Rift President Donald Trump has ripped apart the trilateral EU-Japan-U.S. policy consortium and looks to increasingly target Europe with his bitterness. Yesterday he threatened reciprocity for Europe’s retaliatory duties against Harley Davidson, and the intent by Brussels to evade his...
Interactive Ocean Freight Rates (Updated 24 April)
Update for 24 April 2019: Thanks for the feedback and suggestions on the app below. We've made some adjustments to incorporate your ideas. Now, we're working on another app that will combine WPI's freight rate data with FOB price indications for corn, soybeans, and wheat. Stay tuned! As o...
Market Commentary
Grain and soy prices chopped slightly around either side of unchanged in overnight trade, giving rise to thoughts that those markets might be able to muster up a Turnaround Tuesday. However, it was not to be. Renewed fund selling of corn and soybean contracts kept prices under pressure througho...
Transparency’s Cost to Innovation
There is widespread support in Europe for the new revisions to the General Food Law, but research may prove the risk that the critics have warned about. Under the new law, the European Food Safety Authority must be much more transparent about the information it uses to determine the safety of c...
Oilseed Highlights: EU Rapeseed; EU Soy Imports; Mexican Soy Imports; Brazilian Truck Strike
Neonicotinoid Insecticide Ban May End Rapeseed Crops in the EU The EU restricted the use of three neonicotinoid insecticides on flowering plants beginning in 2013 because of a belief they were responsible for the decline in bee populations. It then banned the use of all such insecticides on all...
Market Commentary
Grain and oilseed markets came back from the long Easter holiday weekend in a slightly bearish mode overnight and today with wheat the weakest. Weather forecasts are starting to look better as May approaches. If they prove to be accurate, corn and soybean planting should catch up quickly. That...
Polarized WTO; Nonautomatic Market Economy; Free Trade Diversion
Polarized WTO It is not just politics in the U.S. and Europe that are polarized – so is the global trading system. India plans to host developing country members of the WTO at a meeting next week in New Delhi to discuss how to boost their advantage in the organization. India and others co...
Southeast Europe Regional Analysis
Milling Wheat The Black Sea market was weaker last week in the absence of fresh demand. Consumers in the major destinations are more or less covered until the end of the current campaign. The new crop (August) Russian wheat offer is $30/MT below that of old crop (May). This big inverse gives co...
Cherry-Pick USMCA; PRC TKO; FAANG Attack
Cherry-Pick USMCA The economic analysis of the U.S.-Mexica-Canada Agreement (USMCA) by the U.S. International Trade Administration was released today and gives the pact a very small win. It would increase real U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) by $68.2 billion or 0.35 percent and grow U.S. empl...
Market Commentary
After yesterday’s lashing, the grain and soy futures markets tried to rally during the overnight session. Corn and soybeans gained a few cents, and wheat, which took the worst beating, regained several cents. However, the rally effort was not able to generate any momentum, and it had fade...
The Outsized Burden; Handbag Solution
The Outsized Burden Cuba is a small island country that imposes an outsized burden on U.S. politics, but this is declining. Historically, there were two problems with Cuba in the U.S.: 1) Fidel Castro’s nationalization of American-owned assets in 1959, and 2) Cuban-American exiles in Flor...
Black Sea Regional Analysis
Russian Grain Markets: 15-19 April 2019 While grain prices on the domestic market mostly dropped in RUB expression, they grew slightly in USD expression due to the strengthening of the ruble. Meanwhile, the average milling wheat sea export price fell to $222/MT FOB Black Sea, and purchase price...
Tri-Rift; Labor Waves
Tri-Rift President Donald Trump has ripped apart the trilateral EU-Japan-U.S. policy consortium and looks to increasingly target Europe with his bitterness. Yesterday he threatened reciprocity for Europe’s retaliatory duties against Harley Davidson, and the intent by Brussels to evade his...
Interactive Ocean Freight Rates (Updated 24 April)
Update for 24 April 2019: Thanks for the feedback and suggestions on the app below. We've made some adjustments to incorporate your ideas. Now, we're working on another app that will combine WPI's freight rate data with FOB price indications for corn, soybeans, and wheat. Stay tuned! As o...
Market Commentary
Grain and soy prices chopped slightly around either side of unchanged in overnight trade, giving rise to thoughts that those markets might be able to muster up a Turnaround Tuesday. However, it was not to be. Renewed fund selling of corn and soybean contracts kept prices under pressure througho...
Transparency’s Cost to Innovation
There is widespread support in Europe for the new revisions to the General Food Law, but research may prove the risk that the critics have warned about. Under the new law, the European Food Safety Authority must be much more transparent about the information it uses to determine the safety of c...
Oilseed Highlights: EU Rapeseed; EU Soy Imports; Mexican Soy Imports; Brazilian Truck Strike
Neonicotinoid Insecticide Ban May End Rapeseed Crops in the EU The EU restricted the use of three neonicotinoid insecticides on flowering plants beginning in 2013 because of a belief they were responsible for the decline in bee populations. It then banned the use of all such insecticides on all...
Market Commentary
Grain and oilseed markets came back from the long Easter holiday weekend in a slightly bearish mode overnight and today with wheat the weakest. Weather forecasts are starting to look better as May approaches. If they prove to be accurate, corn and soybean planting should catch up quickly. That...
Polarized WTO; Nonautomatic Market Economy; Free Trade Diversion
Polarized WTO It is not just politics in the U.S. and Europe that are polarized – so is the global trading system. India plans to host developing country members of the WTO at a meeting next week in New Delhi to discuss how to boost their advantage in the organization. India and others co...
Southeast Europe Regional Analysis
Milling Wheat The Black Sea market was weaker last week in the absence of fresh demand. Consumers in the major destinations are more or less covered until the end of the current campaign. The new crop (August) Russian wheat offer is $30/MT below that of old crop (May). This big inverse gives co...
Cherry-Pick USMCA; PRC TKO; FAANG Attack
Cherry-Pick USMCA The economic analysis of the U.S.-Mexica-Canada Agreement (USMCA) by the U.S. International Trade Administration was released today and gives the pact a very small win. It would increase real U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) by $68.2 billion or 0.35 percent and grow U.S. empl...
Market Commentary
After yesterday’s lashing, the grain and soy futures markets tried to rally during the overnight session. Corn and soybeans gained a few cents, and wheat, which took the worst beating, regained several cents. However, the rally effort was not able to generate any momentum, and it had fade...
The Outsized Burden; Handbag Solution
The Outsized Burden Cuba is a small island country that imposes an outsized burden on U.S. politics, but this is declining. Historically, there were two problems with Cuba in the U.S.: 1) Fidel Castro’s nationalization of American-owned assets in 1959, and 2) Cuban-American exiles in Flor...