(Regis Lefebure photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs give back recent gains

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures on Friday suffered their biggest one-day loss in a month, with pressure from liquidation by funds that were largely responsible for Thursday’s market rally, said traders. April hogs ended 2.075 cents/lb. lower at 67.275 cents, and May 1.725 cents lower at 72.225 cents. “Futures are […] Read more


(Gloria Solano-Aguilar photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs snap back from session lows

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures finished higher on Thursday, after short-covering and bargain buying brought contracts from morning lows, traders said. “Hogs (futures) were simply too cheap. The price had gotten to the point where (investors) had wrung out any sort of spring seasonal rally,” said independent CME livestock futures […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Brazil beef scandal leaves fewer options for global buyers

Chicago | Reuters –– Global beef buyers will likely need to cobble together supplies from several nations if a scandal persists in Brazil’s meat sector because supply constraints and politics are already limiting trade flows, market analysts said Monday. China suspended imports of all meat products from Brazil, the world’s top beef exporter, as a […] Read more



(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle gain for fourth straight session

Chicago | Reuters –– Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle on Monday rose for a fourth consecutive session, with strength from buy stops and futures’ discounts to last week’s cash prices, said traders. They said profit-taking and caution ahead of this week’s cash returns pulled contracts from session highs. Monday was the final day in which […] Read more



(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: Supply growth worries sink CME live cattle

Chicago | Reuters –– Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures slumped on Thursday, with pressure from profit-taking partly fueled by increased supply expectations, traders said. April live cattle closed 1.425 cents/lb. lower at 116.15 cents, and June closed 1.075 cents lower at 106.725 cents (all figures US$). “I’m surprised at the (futures) weakness given bullish […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle end mostly firm

Chicago | Reuters –– Most Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures closed firmer on Wednesday, after investors sold April futures and simultaneously bought deferred months. Investors held off buying April futures despite strong wholesale beef values and steady-to-better cash price expectations for this week. April live cattle closed 0.35 cent/lb. lower at 117.575 cents (all […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: Funds, beef demand fuel CME live cattle rally

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures finished sharply higher on Tuesday, driven by fund buying and brisk wholesale beef demand, said traders. They said deferred-month contracts’ discounts to this week’s expected cash prices provided additional market support. February live cattle, which expired at noon CT, closed 1.225 cents/lb. higher at 126.6 […] Read more