Shutdown

Tops & Bottoms of 2013

By Michael McFarlin, Dan Collins | February 1, 2014

2013 was a year of anticipation and perhaps disappointment. For those hoping the 2012 election would have settled some of the dysfunction in Washington, that did not happen. In fact, we doubled down on fights already settled as if there were no new business. Equity markets impressed, but few saw it as anything other than the hand of the Fed. Mercifully, the Fed signaled the beginning of the end of QE3 by year-end.

Congress unveils $1.1 trillion plan to fund U.S. government

By Derek Wallbank, Bloomberg | January 14, 2014

House and Senate lawmakers agreed to a bipartisan compromise to fund the U.S. government through Sept. 30, unveiling the measure days before financing for federal agencies is scheduled to lapse.

Economy seen as biggest winner as U.S. budget impasse eases

By Mike Dorning, Bloomberg | December 12, 2013

The budget agreement reached by congressional Democrats and Republicans would provide only a modest boost to the U.S. economy. The psychological effect is likely to be a lot greater.

Budget plan doesn’t alter Moody’s view on U.S. rating, Hess says

By John Detrixhe, Bloomberg | December 12, 2013

A U.S. budget accord on track to win passage in Congress doesn’t change the view of Moody’s Investors Service on America’s top Aaa rating because it leaves medium-term deficits largely unaltered, according to Senior Vice President Steven Hess.

Lawmakers ready budget fallback options amid tax impasse

By Heidi Przybyla, Bloomberg | November 25, 2013

With less than three weeks until their deadline, U.S. budget negotiators have yet to break an impasse over revenue, prompting lawmakers to draft plans to blunt $19 billion in defense cuts set to start in January.

Robust soybean demand to be met by equally robust crops

By Sholom Sanik | November 15, 2013

The long awaited, post-shutdown USDA crop report was released on Nov. 8. And while the report did not contain any big surprises, the market behaved as though it did. Soybeans and soybean meal both rallied sharply back to the highs of their recent ranges.