Global Dairy Trade Results Update – GDT Price Index…
Dairy product prices declined for the first time in five events within the Global Dairy Trade (GDT), as the GDT Price Index fell 3.1% in the auction held October 20th. The GDT Price Index declined by 46.8% in total over the ten auctions spanning Mar ’15 – Aug ’15 but had gained back nearly three quarters of the decline over the past four auctions. The GDT Price Index represents a weighted-average of the percentage changes in prices between trading events for all products offered. Despite the decline, the GDT Price Index remained above previous year figures for the second consecutive auction, finishing 4.9% above last year. The GDT Price Index remains 23.9% below the three year average price for the second auction of October, however.
Declines in prices were led by butter (-11.1%), followed by whole milk powder (-4.6%). Whole milk powder has accounted for over half of the total GDT volume over the past two years. Declined in prices were also experienced in skim milk powder (-4.5%), lactose (-3.8%) and cheddar cheese (-2.2%). Butter milk powder (+3.2%), anhydrous milkfat (+2.4%) and rennet casein (+2.1%) finished higher at the October 20th event. U.S. SMP and butter did not trade at the event for the 29th and 30th straight times, respectively.
The table below provides a summary of the most recent GDT weighted average winning prices for key products. Butter has been adjusted to 80% butterfat and SMP has been adjusted to 35% protein content (equivalent to U.S. NFDM) in the $/lb columns below. CME spot and average futures prices are based on October 19th figures. CME average futures prices are weighted average prices based on the most recently reported percentage of the total quantity sold in each GDT contract period.
Total quantities sold for all products at the October 20th event of 34,519 MT were 2.1% below the previous auction but the sixth most sold within 2015.
Volumes also remained lower on a seasonal basis as total quantities sold for all products within the October auctions were 34.1% below last year’s average volumes sold for the month of October and 31.7% below the previous three year average October quantities sold.
Within the GDT auction, butter offered by U.S. sellers, representing product sold by Dairy America, did not trade for the 30th straight auction after trading at each auction since being offered in Jul ’13. Butter offered by U.S. sellers for short-term contract periods has recently traded at a significant premium to butter offered by Oceania sellers for short-term contract periods, representing product sold by Fonterra. Jul ’14 U.S. / Oceania butter price premiums within the GDT auction were the highest ever experienced. Fonterra butter prices for short-term contract periods had declined to a new low at the August 4th auction, prior to the most recent increases in prices. Butter did not trade over short-term contract periods for the first time in 14 auctions, as butter was only sold for Contract 6 (Apr ’16) during the October 20th auction.
GDT winning prices in butter have been historically higher than U.S. butter prices until the run-up in domestic butter prices over much of 2014. Over the past 27 bi-weekly events leading up to April ’14, GDT butter prices traded at a $0.19 average premium to U.S. butter prices. From Apr ’14 – Dec ’14, however, U.S. butter prices traded at a $0.92 average premium to GDT butter prices. The U.S. butter price premium was reduced throughout the first several weeks of 2015 but has rebounded over recent auctions. U.S. butter prices are currently trading at a 100.6% premium to GDT prices while CME futures prices are trading at a 46.8% premium to GDT prices in Apr ’16. U.S. butter prices traded at an 83.3% premium to GDT butter prices from Jun ’14 – Dec ’14.
Cheddar cheese available for purchase at GDT auctions is currently offered only by Fonterra, so GDT winning prices in cheddar cheese are a viable metric for Oceania prices. GDT prices traded at a premium to U.S. prices for most of 2013, with U.S. prices outpacing GDT prices for the majority of the bimonthly events since Jan ’14. U.S. cheddar cheese prices are currently trading at a 10.8% premium to GDT prices while CME futures prices are trading at a 20.0% premium to GDT prices from Dec ’15 – Feb ’16. Cheddar cheese was not sold at the GDT auction for Contact 1 (Nov ’15), Contract 5 (Mar ’16) and Contract 6 (Apr ’16).
GDT SMP prices converged over the second half of 2014, with Oceania and Europe prices moving downward in tandem. Oceania and Europe GDT SMP prices on short-term contracts traded within 5% of each other in 13 of the 16 events from Apr ’14 – Nov ’14. Oceania SMP prices are currently trading at a 7.9% premium to Europe SMP prices as of the October 20th auction.
U.S. SMP, representing product sold by Dairy America, did not trade for the 29th straight auction after trading at 69 consecutive auctions from Oct ’11 to Aug ’14. Dairy America is currently the only U.S. seller offering SMP within the GDT as it was recently announced that Land O’ Lakes has formally withdrawn from the global auction platform. Land O’ Lakes first joined GDT in Mar ’14 but had not sold product via the GDT platform since Jan ’15. India SMP, representing product sold by Amul, traded for the second consecutive auction, remaining above Oceania and Europe prices.
Within the GDT auction, SMP offered by U.S. sellers on short-term contracts has recently traded at a premium to SMP offered by Oceania sellers on short-term contracts, representing product sold by Fonterra. The most recent U.S. / Oceania SMP price premiums experienced within the GDT auction have been the highest since Sep ’12. Oceania SMP prices for short-term contract periods reached a new low at the August 4th auction prior to the most recent increases in prices.
U.S. SMP spot prices fell 13.2% below GDT prices however U.S. SMP prices are expected to regain a premium to GDT SMP prices on average throughout the remainder of 2015 and into 2016. CME NFDM futures prices are trading at a 5.6% premium to GDT SMP future month winning prices from Nov ’15 – Apr ’16.
Declines in prices were led by butter (-11.1%), followed by whole milk powder (-4.6%). Whole milk powder has accounted for over half of the total GDT volume over the past two years. Declined in prices were also experienced in skim milk powder (-4.5%), lactose (-3.8%) and cheddar cheese (-2.2%). Butter milk powder (+3.2%), anhydrous milkfat (+2.4%) and rennet casein (+2.1%) finished higher at the October 20th event. U.S. SMP and butter did not trade at the event for the 29th and 30th straight times, respectively.
The table below provides a summary of the most recent GDT weighted average winning prices for key products. Butter has been adjusted to 80% butterfat and SMP has been adjusted to 35% protein content (equivalent to U.S. NFDM) in the $/lb columns below. CME spot and average futures prices are based on October 19th figures. CME average futures prices are weighted average prices based on the most recently reported percentage of the total quantity sold in each GDT contract period.
Total quantities sold for all products at the October 20th event of 34,519 MT were 2.1% below the previous auction but the sixth most sold within 2015.
Volumes also remained lower on a seasonal basis as total quantities sold for all products within the October auctions were 34.1% below last year’s average volumes sold for the month of October and 31.7% below the previous three year average October quantities sold.
Within the GDT auction, butter offered by U.S. sellers, representing product sold by Dairy America, did not trade for the 30th straight auction after trading at each auction since being offered in Jul ’13. Butter offered by U.S. sellers for short-term contract periods has recently traded at a significant premium to butter offered by Oceania sellers for short-term contract periods, representing product sold by Fonterra. Jul ’14 U.S. / Oceania butter price premiums within the GDT auction were the highest ever experienced. Fonterra butter prices for short-term contract periods had declined to a new low at the August 4th auction, prior to the most recent increases in prices. Butter did not trade over short-term contract periods for the first time in 14 auctions, as butter was only sold for Contract 6 (Apr ’16) during the October 20th auction.
GDT winning prices in butter have been historically higher than U.S. butter prices until the run-up in domestic butter prices over much of 2014. Over the past 27 bi-weekly events leading up to April ’14, GDT butter prices traded at a $0.19 average premium to U.S. butter prices. From Apr ’14 – Dec ’14, however, U.S. butter prices traded at a $0.92 average premium to GDT butter prices. The U.S. butter price premium was reduced throughout the first several weeks of 2015 but has rebounded over recent auctions. U.S. butter prices are currently trading at a 100.6% premium to GDT prices while CME futures prices are trading at a 46.8% premium to GDT prices in Apr ’16. U.S. butter prices traded at an 83.3% premium to GDT butter prices from Jun ’14 – Dec ’14.
Cheddar cheese available for purchase at GDT auctions is currently offered only by Fonterra, so GDT winning prices in cheddar cheese are a viable metric for Oceania prices. GDT prices traded at a premium to U.S. prices for most of 2013, with U.S. prices outpacing GDT prices for the majority of the bimonthly events since Jan ’14. U.S. cheddar cheese prices are currently trading at a 10.8% premium to GDT prices while CME futures prices are trading at a 20.0% premium to GDT prices from Dec ’15 – Feb ’16. Cheddar cheese was not sold at the GDT auction for Contact 1 (Nov ’15), Contract 5 (Mar ’16) and Contract 6 (Apr ’16).
GDT SMP prices converged over the second half of 2014, with Oceania and Europe prices moving downward in tandem. Oceania and Europe GDT SMP prices on short-term contracts traded within 5% of each other in 13 of the 16 events from Apr ’14 – Nov ’14. Oceania SMP prices are currently trading at a 7.9% premium to Europe SMP prices as of the October 20th auction.
U.S. SMP, representing product sold by Dairy America, did not trade for the 29th straight auction after trading at 69 consecutive auctions from Oct ’11 to Aug ’14. Dairy America is currently the only U.S. seller offering SMP within the GDT as it was recently announced that Land O’ Lakes has formally withdrawn from the global auction platform. Land O’ Lakes first joined GDT in Mar ’14 but had not sold product via the GDT platform since Jan ’15. India SMP, representing product sold by Amul, traded for the second consecutive auction, remaining above Oceania and Europe prices.
Within the GDT auction, SMP offered by U.S. sellers on short-term contracts has recently traded at a premium to SMP offered by Oceania sellers on short-term contracts, representing product sold by Fonterra. The most recent U.S. / Oceania SMP price premiums experienced within the GDT auction have been the highest since Sep ’12. Oceania SMP prices for short-term contract periods reached a new low at the August 4th auction prior to the most recent increases in prices.
U.S. SMP spot prices fell 13.2% below GDT prices however U.S. SMP prices are expected to regain a premium to GDT SMP prices on average throughout the remainder of 2015 and into 2016. CME NFDM futures prices are trading at a 5.6% premium to GDT SMP future month winning prices from Nov ’15 – Apr ’16.