Central bankers who initially called spiking inflation transitory are now somewhat in a panic.

The economy, GDP, inflation, interest rates, recessions and bear markets

These items are interrelated but perhaps not as directly correlated as perceived

The current U.S. bear market is brought to you by an unwinding of speculative excess, increasing inflation driving interest rates, Putin’s war in Ukraine and fears of a recession. A recession is defined as two quarters of negative growth. First quarter U.S. growth was negative and if the second quarter comes in negative it will […] Read more

CBOT November 2022 soybeans (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Chicago grains firm on yield uncertainty ahead of USDA report

Grains also underpinned by U.S. dollar fall after inflation data

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago wheat and soybean futures closed higher on Thursday as a weaker U.S. dollar lent support to dollar-priced commodities and traders squared up their positions ahead of a key government report. Meanwhile, corn futures firmed, supported by concerns about hot and dry weather stressing the U.S. Midwest crop through its final […] Read more



File photo of a rainy day in Iqaluit. (Wildnerdpix/iStock/Getty Images)

Cold and hungry: Food inflation bites Canada’s North

'It's really expensive to do business here'

Iqaluit | Reuters –– In Canada’s remote North, residents have long paid dearly for food, and rising prices have worsened an already dire situation, exposing the vulnerability of one of the world’s biggest exporters of grains and meat. Communities in Nunavut — the largest of the three territories that make up Canada’s northernmost region — […] Read more



A view of Ceres Global Ag’s Northgate, Sask. facility as seen from its fertilizer shed in 2018. (Grainews photo by Lisa Guenther)

Ceres pulls plans for Saskatchewan canola crush plant

U.S. company suspends project citing higher-than-projected costs

U.S. ag commodities firm Ceres Global Ag’s plans for a canola crush plant in southeastern Saskatchewan are now on indefinite hold. Minneapolis-based Ceres said Friday it’s suspending the crush project it announced in May last year and will terminate a related equipment design and supply contract, so as to reduce “project-related contract liabilities.” The proposed […] Read more


(Noel Hendrickson/DigitalVision/Getty Images)

Mid-year farm gate price hike approved for milk

Processors say incremental hike may soften impact on consumers

A request from Canada’s dairy farmer organization for an unscheduled increase in the current farm gate price for milk, to help farmers catch up with steep rises in their costs of production, has been granted. The Canadian Dairy Commission said Tuesday it will recommend that the farm gate price for milk be increased effective Sept. […] Read more



CME June 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, dark red and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle bounce back on bargain buying

July hogs touch six-day high, end lower

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures finished higher on Tuesday in a rebound from recent losses, brokers said. However, concerns about the risk of beef demand falling due to U.S. inflation continued to hang over the market, analysts said. They warn rising prices may increasingly push consumers to eat cheaper food […] Read more

CBOT July 2022 soybeans (candlesticks) with 20- and 50-day moving averages (yellow and dark green lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soybeans hit one-week low as financial markets drop

CBOT corn, wheat ease amid inflationary worries

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures hit a one-week low on Tuesday and grains declined amid pressure from weak financial markets and concerns about inflation, analysts said. A second straight day of losses in equities and jitters about the economy helped drag down soy futures, after prices for the oilseed neared a record high […] Read more