Tariffs and crop markets

By Doug Tenney, Leist Mercantile

In early February, news feeds across the U.S. were blowing up with the Trump tariff announcements. Reading this column two weeks after the announcement, one should pay close attention to current grain prices at the CBOT. Are prices up or down? Or are prices rebounding surprisingly with more facts than rumors taking place? Or has the market returned to the up one day, down the next price activity which took place in January.

On Jan. 31, various new sources detailed that tariffs would be coming on Feb. 1 and that you should only believe the announcements if the headline and any details were from any named member of the current new administration. Otherwise, if tariff news included the phrase, “according to unnamed sources,” the announcement should be viewed as not accurate. President Trump had talked for weeks before his inauguration of the tariffs which will be coming for China, Mexico, and Canda.… Continue reading