McKeany-Flavell Hot Commodity Podcast

Recapping this year’s ASA International Sweetener Symposium

• What is the ASA Symposium?
  • Who attends and what's discussed
• Will the new Farm Bill become law this year?
• Farmers’ take on the 2025/26 crops
  • How are those crops in Florida and Louisiana doing?
• Big takeaway:
  • America’s farmers first, and no specialty refined quota
• You can find much more info on sugar and other commodities on McKeany-Flavell's IQ Intelligence Platform
  • Visit mckeany-flavell to learn more about what we offer 24/7 to our subscribers!

Host: Michael Caughlan, President & CEO
Expert: Kevin Combs, Vice President – Global Sweeteners Specialist
Expert: Craig Ruffolo, Vice President – Commodity Specialist

Crop progress, freight, & tariffs update

• Crop progress
  • Ideal weather for the U.S., but what about Canada and Europe?
  • Corn: What’s up with those big numbers?!?
  • Be on the lookout for August dryness and the hurricane season ramping up
• Freight
  • Union Pacific makes a major announcement (billions, not millions!)
  • Ocean, rail, and trucking updates
    • Which one is most stable at the moment?
  • Tariffs
    • Battling exhaustion
    • Exceptions for certain productions like coffee or tropical oils?
    • Ag policy: How the USDA is being restructured

Host: Michael Caughlan, President & CEO  
Expert: Nicole Thomas, Vice President – Information Services
Expert: Eric Thornton, Senior Commodity Advisor

Catching up on the cocoa market

• Current weather and conditions in West Africa
• Anemic Q2 cocoa bean grind figures weigh on the market
• Ghana is planning to change the new crop year start date from Oct. 1 to Aug. 1 
• Hershey announces more price increases?
  • Halloween candy spared (for now)
• Not a customer on McKeany-Flavell’s IQ Intelligence Platform? Visit mckeany-flavell.com to learn more about IQ, where we offer subscribers 24/7 access to
  • Real-time market updates and technical analysis
  • Discussion of supply and demand fundamentals
  • Price forecasts
  • As well as charts, tables, and downloadable PowerPoint market overviews

Host: Eric Thornton, Senior Commodity Advisor
Expert: Marilyn Adutwum, Data Analyst

Fishing for answers in the latest data on consumer inflation, tariffs, & the economy

• Consumer inflation edges higher in June
• Wholesale prices surprise by falling
• Market shaves off some of the rate reductions but still sees lower funds target at year-end
• Is Chairman Powell content to keep rates steady until tariff rates and policies are better understood?
• Not a customer on McKeany-Flavell’s IQ Intelligence Platform? Visit mckeany-flavell.com to learn more about IQ, where we offer subscribers 24/7 access to:
  • Real-time market updates and technical analysis
  • Discussion of supply and demand fundamentals
  • Price forecasts
  • As well as charts, tables, and downloadable PowerPoint market overviews

Host: Michael Caughlan, President & CEO
Expert: Shawn Bingham, Director of Commodity Risk Management

July WASDE: Big buyers, consumption assumptions, & the effects of the BBB

• Wheat
  • U.S. wheat ending stocks projected higher YOY
  • Production up due to higher yields?
  • Global production is declining
• Corn
  • U.S. corn ending stocks fall further for this year and next
  • Who is the big buyer of corn?
  • Consumption assumptions are strong!
• Soy complex
  • BBB and EPA driving large biofuel consumption for soybean oil in 2025/26
  • Food use change is a head-scratcher
  • What’s 2025/26 looking like?
• Sugar
  • Sugar deliveries for food use are down from last year
    • What’s the forecast for 2026?
  • Beet production lowered
  • Mexico imports down
• Next week is our Wheat Market Update Webinar!
  • Wed., July 19, 11am PT / 2pm ET
  • Be on the lookout for your invite or sign up now at mckeany-flavell.com

Host: Michael Caughlan, President & CEO
Expert: Nicole Thomas, Vice President – Information Services
Expert: Kevin Combs, Vice President – Global Sweeteners Specialist

Any commodity fireworks ahead for the Fourth of July holiday?

• Recap of the Acreage and Grain Stocks reports
• How’s the weather forecast looking for the first half of July?
• Trump’s tariff deadline is next week, Jul. 9
  • Will we see more threats and volatility?
• Our upcoming webinar: Wheat Market Update Webinar
  • Wed., July 19, 11am PT / 2pm ET
  • Be on the lookout for your invite or sign up now at mckeany-flavell.com

Host: Michael Caughlan, President & CEO  
Expert: Eric Thornton, Senior Commodity Advisor

A contrarian economic report + Live from the Western Candy Conference!

• Contrarian growth points:
  • Q2 2025 GDP set to rebound, but how sharply?
  • Forward inflation favorable to Fed’s target
  • Will tax cuts be extended?
  • Prediction! Interest rates lower this time next year
  • Equities hit record high
• USDA's Acreage and Grain Stocks reports out on Monday!
  • Setting the tone for the coming months
• Mike is live at the Western Candy Conference!
• Save the date for our next webinar!
  • Wheat Market Update Webinar
  • Wed., July 19, 11am PT / 2pm ET
  • Look for your invite going out next week or sign up now at mckeany-flavell.com

Host: Craig Ruffolo, Vice President – Commodity Specialist
Expert: Michael Caughlan, President & CEO
Expert: Shawn Bingham, Director of Commodity Risk Management

It’s plastic! Resin discussion with Michael Workman & Kevin Mekaru of RTi Global

• Meet RTi Global
  • Who they are and what they do
  • Find them on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RTiGetResinSmart
  • And LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/resin-technology-inc/
• Polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP)
  • Where we are and where have we been?
• Hurricane season could add market volatility
• Tariffs, geopolitics, and trade are impactful in resins, as is the case with everything else!
• Market outlook and strategies for resin buyers to consider
• Our next webinar is next week!
  • Seasonal Market Outlook Webinar: Summer Crop Estimates & Market Direction
  • Wed., June 25, 11am PT / 2pm ET
  • Look out for your invite or sign up now at mckeany-flavell.com

Host: Nicole Thomas, Vice President – Information Services
Guest Expert: Michael Workman, Growth Director at ResinSmart by RTi Global
Guest Expert: Kevin Mekaru, Senior Business Unit Lead, Commodity Plastic Resin, RTi Global
www.resinsmart.ai

June WASDE rundown + sugar negotiations update

• Typical June WASDE with few changes to grain supply and demand estimates
• Corn
  • 2024/25 corn exports increased, lowering ending stocks by same amount
  • Brazil and Argentina corn production unchanged at 130 MMT and 50 MMT
• Wheat
  • 2025/26 wheat saw a healthy increase to exports
• Soy complex
  • No changes to U.S. soybean complex estimates
• Sugar
  • Sugar deliveries continue to trend lower
  • Beet production also lowered for current and next year  
  • Update on sugar negotiations
• Our next webinar is fast approaching!
  • Seasonal Market Outlook Webinar: Summer Crop Estimates & Market Direction
  • Wed., June 25, 11am PT / 2pm ET
  • Look out for your invite or sign up on mckeany-flavell.com

Host: Michael Caughlan, President & CEO
Expert: Kevin Combs, Vice President – Global Sweeteners Specialist

#11 world sugar update: Factors & market direction

• Brazil
  • Harvest ramping up with production expected to increase
  • Corn crops encroaching on sugar?
• India
  • Production to rebound in 2025/26
  • What are the struggles their sugar crops are facing?
• Thailand
  • Next key exporter behind Brazil
  • Can we expect a similar crop to last year?
• What are #11 world futures market trading at now?
• Our upcoming webinar!
  • Seasonal Market Outlook Webinar: Summer Crop Estimates & Market Direction
  • Wed., June 25, 11am PT / 2pm ET
  • Look for your invite going out the week of June 9 or sign up now on mckeany-flavell.com

Host: Michael Caughlan, President & CEO
Expert: Kevin Combs, Vice President – Global Sweeteners Specialist