Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live and feeder cattle futures touched their lowest prices in months on Friday as traders booked profits amid fears about the spread of a new virus from China. Broad selling also hit hog futures, along with equities and crude oil as investors moved into safe-haven assets. Developments in the spread […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cattle set multi-month lows as virus fears hit markets

U.S. livestock: Cattle stumble to two-month low ahead of USDA report
Lean hogs follow cutout values higher
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live and feeder cattle futures dropped to their lowest prices in about two months on Thursday as traders adjusted positions before a government report that is expected to show an increase in supplies. Hog futures, meanwhile, advanced to their highest prices in about two weeks. The U.S. Department of Agriculture […] Read more

U.S. grains: Corn futures hit three-month high on export demand
Profit-taking sparks pullback in CBOT wheat
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures topped a three-month high on Thursday on improved export demand, while wheat futures traded near a 1-1/2 year high reached a session earlier. Soybeans eased to a one-month low as traders awaited signs of Chinese purchases of U.S. crops in the wake of last week’s initial trade agreement […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME cattle sag on supply expectations
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle futures weakened on Wednesday as traders prepared for a government report that is expected to confirm the nation’s supplies have expanded from a year ago. The U.S. Department of Agriculture will report on Friday that there were 11.948 million head of cattle on feed for slaughter as of Jan. […] Read more

U.S. grains: Robust global demand supports Chicago wheat
Chicago | Reuters — Profit-taking pulled down Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures on Wednesday after robust global demand and concerns about tightening supplies pushed the most-active contract to its highest price since August 2018. Soybean futures also ended lower, while nearby corn futures inched higher. Traders in the farm markets continued to wait for […] Read more

U.S. grains: Corn, soy fall as traders await Chinese buying
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures weakened and soybeans touched a five-week low on Tuesday as traders awaited confirmation that China has started to buy more U.S. crops after the countries signed an initial trade deal last week. Most actively traded wheat futures hit their highest price since August 2018 at the Chicago Board […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Hogs, cattle ease amid uncertain Chinese demand
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. livestock futures came under pressure on Tuesday as traders waited for signs of increased Chinese demand after Beijing and Washington signed an initial trade deal last week. China pledged to increase purchases of U.S. agricultural products as part of the agreement, which is meant to reduce tensions after nearly two […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Chinese buying drives record pork exports in November
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. pork exports in November surged to a record high for any month, according to new government data, driven by a fatal pig disease stoking a meat shortage in China. The shipments fueled expectations for more big sales to China, although U.S. hog futures slumped on Wednesday. China, the world’s largest […] Read more

U.S. grains: Futures weaken as Iraq strike rattles markets
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. grain and soybean futures crumbled on Friday as traders booked profits after being spooked by a U.S. air strike in Iraq that escalated geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. The strike that killed Iran’s most prominent military commander put markets on edge and opened the door for a setback a […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Hogs limit down on profit-taking, Middle East tensions
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures tumbled by the daily trading limit to a three-week low on Friday as rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East triggered profit-taking, analysts said. Losses hit markets after a U.S. air strike in Iraq killed Iran’s most prominent military commander, rattling traders of products from agricultural futures to […] Read more