The CBOT started higher with corn and soybeans posting new contract highs. Goldman Sachs issued a bullish commodity outlook based on Chinese buying and a trend towards inflation, and that brought buying interest to the CBOT. As the day wore on, however, macro-market jitters and profit taking developed that pushed grain and oilseed futures lower. Funds booked some profits amid an export market that has been quiet so far this week. Overall, while the CBOT paused amid uncertainty this week, end users and cash markets remain supportive. Charts have neither broken down nor posted significant reversals, suggesting the outlook is either sideways or higher from current levels. With some weather risk present still for South America but large...
From WPI Consulting
Forecasting developments in production agriculture
On behalf of a private U.S. agricultural technology provider, WPI’s team generated an econometric model to forecast the movement of concentrated corn production north and west from the traditional U.S. Corn Belt. WPI’s model has subsequently provided quantitative support to a multi-million-dollar investment into short-season corn variety development. WPI’s methodology included a series of interviews with regional grain elevators and seed consultants. Emphasizing outreach and communication with stakeholders who possess intimate sectoral knowledge – on-the-ground insights – is a regular component of WPI’s methodologies, made possible by WPI’s ever-growing network of industry contacts.