Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded $3-$5/cwt lower on average although limited numbers made the market hard to define. Calf markets traded $4-$8/cwt on either side of unchanged. It appeared that 700-plus-lb. calves were up $4 to as much as $8. The variation in the price structure was due to the adverse […] Read more
Klassen: Buyers contemplate feeder market prices
In adverse weather, sale results vary
U.S. livestock: CME cattle slide on concerns over beef demand
Chicago December lean hogs settle higher
Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures dropped to their lowest level in more than a week at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange on Monday on concerns about the risk for easing demand for U.S. beef. Feeder cattle futures also declined, while lean hog futures ended higher. Lower-than-expected cash cattle prices last week contributed to uncertainty […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME hog, cattle futures down on profit-taking
Cash hog values seen softer
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) hog futures closed lower on Friday, retreating on a round of profit-taking after the benchmark December contract rose to its highest level in a month. Soft cash hog values, weaker wholesale pork prices and a large weekly hog slaughter added to bearish sentiment. “We’ve had a pretty […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME cattle, hogs soar as U.S. Fed piques investors’ risk appetite
Beef, pork export sales above four-week average
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) cattle and hog futures rose on Thursday following broad strength in Wall Street equities, crude oil and other commodities, as investors’ risk appetite increased a day after the U.S. Federal Reserve kept benchmark interest rates on hold. “The emphasis is really from the ‘risk-on’ macro play, driven […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME cattle firm on cash market optimism
Lean hog futures end lower
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) live cattle futures closed modestly higher on Wednesday, with the benchmark December contract extending its rebound from a four-month low set last week, buoyed by technical buying and expectations of rising cash cattle prices. Sellers in the Kansas and Texas cash markets were offering slaughter-ready cattle as […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME cattle rise on hopes for cash prices
Hogs also higher; livestock futures down on month
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange livestock futures crept higher on Tuesday as the cattle markets continued to rebound from multi-month lows reached last week. Expectations for higher cash prices this week and beyond helped to underpin futures, analysts said. Cash prices improved on Friday, compared to the middle of last week. CME October […] Read more
Klassen: Canadian feeder market holds value despite weaker futures
Weaker loonie offers support
Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling prices traded $3-$5 lower while calf values were relatively unchanged. The market was slightly softer early in the week. On Wednesday, Alberta packers renewed fed cattle bids similar to week-ago levels and the aggressive buying lifted calf prices back up to levels similar to seven days earlier. Adverse […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME live cattle recover off recent slide, eye cash prices
Lean hogs also align with cash prices
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures topped a one-week high on Monday as the market recovered from steep losses last week. Firm prices in the cash market on Friday supported the rebound in futures, brokers said. CME December live cattle futures ended up 1.025 cents at 183.25 cents/lb. (all figures US$). […] Read more
Feed assistance welcome but ‘won’t be enough’
AgriRecovery program comes too late for cattle producers who have already made the tough decisions
Reading Time: 5 minutes Alberta’s cattle industry is in a crisis due to another year of drought, and while the latest AgriRecovery program will help the situation, more is needed to maintain the stability of the sector, according to the vice-chair of Alberta Beef Producers. “It won’t be enough, guaranteed, and for some it’s too late and they won’t […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME feeder cattle recover off May-level low
Live cattle, lean hogs also higher
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange feeder cattle futures fell to their lowest level since May on Friday before ending higher, while live cattle recovered from June lows reached earlier this week. Strength in the cash market helped boost futures, traders said. Reports of meatpackers paying $185/cwt in Texas and $186/cwt in Nebraska represented […] Read more
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