This year has seen higher commodity prices spiked by tighter ending stocks for some key commodities. However, reductions unique to this year relative to the past half-dozen are limited to just corn and palm oil. Palm oil hit a contract high this week and corn last week, though the latter is now down more than 12 percent since its peak based on trading this week. Rapeseed oil stocks are down the most from their peak in 2016, but they were lower in 2018 and 2019 than this year. Sugar stocks are 19 percent lower than in 2017, but not as low as they went in 2016 and 2017. Neither soyoil, soybeans, rice or sugar are currently as low in surplus carryover as they have been in other recent years. However, this may be a unique period for so m...
Key Market Insights The broad market is locked in on this week’s Trump-Xi meeting in Beijing, but this is no longer just a trade summit. Increasingly, the meeting is becoming tied directly to Iran, energy security, and the growing global economic fallout from disruptions through the Strai...
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.