Columnists

The U.S. dollar crumbled on Wednesday after Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin suggested that a weaker U.S. dollar would benefit the U.S. economy. In the aftermath of the comment, the U.S. dollar reached a three-year low against its major trading partners.

As bitterly cold temperatures descended across the U.S. last week, even the Sunshine State felt the chill. Temperatures dropped below freezing across much of Central Florida on Wednesday and Thursday night, threatening the state’s crops.

Markets were rattled last week after news broke that Canada expected President Trump to pull out of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Americans’ love of meat is expected to hit a new high, according to a projection from the USDA. The government agency expects Americans to consume an average of 222 pounds of red meat and poultry during 2018.

As markets approached the Christmas holiday, it was particularly fitting that futures on evergreens were exploding. Rather than representing last-minute Christmas tree demand, the rallying market was actually lumber futures, which were responding to stronger-than-expected housing outlooks.

Two major U.S. futures exchanges are launching bitcoin futures, which is adding fuel to the fire behind the cryptocurrency market, pushing prices over $17,000 per BTC last week.

Beef prices ground to a new low last week as investors bailed out of the cattle market.

After reaching all-time highs on Thursday, stock market futures plunged on Friday morning on fears of problems in Washington, D.C.

As U.S. farmers are finishing the soybean harvest this week, they were greeted with rising soybean prices, which neared $10 per bushel. Prices gained on hopes for more demand from China’s pork producers, who need soybeans to feed their increasing hog herds. Livestock demand in the United Sta…

A traditional Thanksgiving feast for 10 should be under $5 per person this year, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. Prices fell from last year especially for turkey, which is dropping due to low feed costs and increased supplies. Other staples like sweet potatoes, milk, dinner…

Saudi Arabia was a hotbed of activity last week, which spooked the oil market to a two-year high near $58 per barrel.

The Chicago Mercantile Exchange made a surprise announcement last week that it would begin listing a contract on bitcoin futures, giving more credibility to the cryptocurrency. Bitcoin, which is not controlled by any singular government, has seen increasing interest as an alternative to pape…

Oil prices gushed to a seven-month high on Friday as the market absorbed a tighter supply outlook. Saudi leaders have indicated that OPEC and other nations will continue curtailing petroleum production, which should keep a lid on global supplies and keep prices elevated.

On October 19, 1987, the Dow Jones had its biggest crash, losing 508 points (23 percent), finishing that dreadful day near 1,739 points. 30 years later, the market has gone up more than tenfold, reaching a new record high on Friday over 23,200.