The CBOT and CME markets were mostly lower to end the holiday-shortened week with favorable weather forecasts for Brazil pressuring the grains and oilseeds complex while cash market weakness sent livestock futures tumbling. Trading volume was above-average for most markets compared to most post-Thanksgiving trading sessions and the heavy-volume selling in livestock futures was a testament to the increasingly bearish market mentality and panic selling. Funds were net sellers across the board for the day but were most active in the soy complex and livestock futures. The day’s action indicates the markets are very likely to open on the defensive next week – unless Brazil’s weather turns noticeably drier over the weekend &ndas...
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.