Chart of the week: cheese – the first casualty of the trade war
US cheese prices have crumbled thanks to a glut – the block cheddar cheese benchmark price settled at around $1.54 a pound
US cheese prices have crumbled thanks to a glut,says Myra Saefong in Barron's. The block cheddar cheese benchmark price settled at around $1.54 a pound after a bout of volatility this month. Traders predict more of the same for the year. But in the long run, prices should recover.
Two of the largest importers of US dairy products are China (which imported $577m in 2017) and Mexico (with $1.3bn), and both implemented tariffs on cheese in retaliation against US levies. These ongoing trade wars are likely to lead to dairy-farm closures, which would slow down cheese production.
US cheese prices have crumbled thanks to a glut the block cheddar cheese benchmark price settled at around $1.54 a pound As supply dries up, cheese prices will come to reflect a new balance between supply and demand.
Subscribe to MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Viewpoint
"During more than 40 years of European integration, the UK economy has become so enmeshed with those of the rest of the EU that a vast tranche of our economic activity is only legally authorised by a thicket of EU laws Even before the referendum,some of us were urging that there was only one practical way we could get pretty well all we wanted: to become a fully independent country, freeing ourselves from three-quarters of the EU's laws, while continuing to enjoy "frictionless" trade. And also leaving us free to sign trade deals across the world, and even to exercise some control over EU immigration. This was to remain in the wider European Economic Area (EEA) by rejoining Norway in the European Free Trade Association. This could have solved virtually all the problems that have proved so intractable, including the Irish border."
Christopher Booker, The Telegraph
Sign up to Money Morning
Our team, led by award winning editors, is dedicated to delivering you the top news, analysis, and guides to help you manage your money, grow your investments and build wealth.
-
Christmas at Chatsworth: review of The Cavendish Hotel at Baslow
MoneyWeek Travel Matthew Partridge gets into the festive spirit at The Cavendish Hotel at Baslow and the Christmas market at Chatsworth
By Dr Matthew Partridge Published
-
Tycoon Truong My Lan on death row over world’s biggest bank fraud
Property tycoon Truong My Lan has been found guilty of a corruption scandal that dwarfs Malaysia’s 1MDB fraud and Sam Bankman-Fried’s crypto scam
By Jane Lewis Published
-
This chart pattern could be extraordinarily bullish for gold
Charts The mother of all patterns is developing in the gold charts, says Dominic Frisby. And if everything plays out well, gold could hit a price that investors could retire on.
By Dominic Frisby Published
-
Chart of the week: Dr Copper diagnoses an ailing economy
Charts The price of copper has slipped by a fifth this year and is now at a near-two-year low of around $5,600 a tonne.
By moneyweek Published
-
Chart of the week: palladium will lose its lustre
Charts Palladium has gained 70% in a year. It now trades at about $1,530 per ounce. But any escalation in the US-China trade could spell an end to the rally.
By moneyweek Published
-
Chart of the week: nickel bucks the metals trend
Charts The price of nickel has soared by almost a quarter to a 13-month high in just a fortnight.
By moneyweek Published
-
Chart of the week: China’s trade war trump card
Charts China is by far the dominant supplier of rare earth metals - a group of 17 elements used in applications ranging from military and industrial lasers to energy-saving light fittings – accounting for 71% of the entire global supply.
By moneyweek Published
-
Chart of the week: hogs high on swine fever
Charts The number of pigs in China, around 450 million, is set to shrink by a third by the end of 2019 as swine flu rages – meanwhile, US pork sales to China have hit a record high.
By moneyweek Published
-
Chart of the week: will the oil rally last?
Charts A disruption to supplies from the North African country could give oil prices a big short-term boost.
By moneyweek Published
-
Chart of the week: rhodium on the rise
Charts Rhodium has gained more than 30% this year, and now costs at least twice as much as gold or palladium.
By moneyweek Published