Grain prices broke higher in recent trading led by wheat and the short-term outlook looks positive. Gains followed Vladimir Putin’s announcement that Russia will extend its ban on grain exports until late 2011. However, this development does not fundamentally alter my key views regarding the complex, namely: The short-term outlook for grains is fairly bullish… [Read more]

Coffee is shaping up to post a strong monthly close which bolsters my medium-term bullish view. Moreover, while not my core scenario, I would not rule out a significant spike in prices over the coming months, as has happened in the past. My colleagues at Business Monitor Online recently alluded to this potential in late… [Read more]

The chart below graphs GDP per capita in US dollars against per capita daily calorie intake at 2003 levels. As you’d expect, there is a positive relationship between per capita income and per capita daily calorie intake. In general, richer countries have a higher calorie intake across the globe. The Middle East is a good… [Read more]

Although everyone is talking about inflation right now, when we look at developed markets, we see reason to believe that 2009 in fact heralds a period of deflation. After all, when you strip out oil and food prices, there is not much inflation around. For example, core inflation in the US has remained steady at… [Read more]

Today marks the 14th anniversary of the death of North Korea’s late ‘Great Leader’, Kim Il Sung, who ruled for almost 50 years. What is most remarkable is that his son and chosen successor, Kim Jong Il, still leads the country, and for that matter, the country still exists. When Kim Sr died, most people… [Read more]