The Latest: January - 2026
After Catching a Quick Breath…
The dairy markets have been swamped under a tidal wave of milk and are now fumbling around for the bottom. After catching a quick breath last week, spot nonfat dry milk (NDM) slipped back under the surface, falling a penny to $1.255. CME spot butter bounced back from multi-year lows, climbing 5.5ȼ to $1.355 per pound. And CME spot Cheddar blocks continued to sink, falling 2.5ȼ to $1.29. Meanwhile, whey remained buoyant. Spot whey powder rallied 3.5ȼ to 73.5ȼ.
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The Cheddar market was already red hot, but barrels pushed the mercury even higher this week.
View reportFresh cheese is tight, and the markets seem to have someone – or several someones – over a barrel. High prices are working to trim demand at the margins, boost production, and attract imports.
View reportJudgment is further clouded by stupefying volatility and a sense of déjà vu. Sky-high cheese prices are simply difficult to sustain.
View reportThe bulls are still bruised after getting walloped in mid-September, when spot cheese staged an invigorating climb followed by a dramatic collapse.
View reportThe fundamentals of the milk powder market seem particularly healthy, and the bulls are roaming free.
View reportAfter much volatility, the boundaries are becoming clearer. The spread between blocks and barrels narrowed, adding another layer of uncertainty to the already complex cheese markets.
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