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

U.S. livestock: Hogs limit down on profit-taking, Middle East tensions

U.S. livestock: Hog futures touch seven-week high
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures kicked off 2020 by approaching seven-week highs in gains driven by increasing expectations for bigger sales of American pork to China. China, the world’s largest pork consumer, needs larger imports to offset a domestic meat shortage caused by an outbreak of the fatal pig disease African swine fever. […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Hog futures rise in 2019 as swine fever hits China
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures rose in 2019 on hopes China will further increase pork imports as an outbreak of a fatal pig disease ravaged the Chinese herd. Prices eased on Tuesday as traders adjusted positions and booked some profits before the end of the year. The African swine fever disease has reshaped […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Hog futures rally on China trade optimism
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures shot to their highest prices in more than six weeks on Monday on increased optimism over trade with China, the world’s biggest pork consumer. China agreed to import more U.S. farm goods under a Phase 1 trade deal struck this month, providing support for farm markets. Chinese Vice-Premier […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Hogs stumble as supply trumps Chinese demand
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures dropped on Friday as pressure from large domestic supplies overshadowed an uptick in pork sales to China. Traders are keeping an eye on Chinese demand because China, the world’s biggest pork consumer, is grappling with a fatal pig disease, African swine fever. Farmers are hoping China will further […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cattle placements top estimates
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle producers placed more animals than expected into feedlots last month, U.S. Department of Agriculture data showed on Friday, raising expectations for big supplies next summer. The increase in placements will likely pressure futures prices on Monday, brokers said. Meat producers and buyers are keeping a close watch on herd […] Read more

New livestock transport rules include grace period for all sectors
Enforcement of new federal rules for livestock transport, due to take effect Feb. 20, will focus on handler education and awareness for the first two years — and across all affected livestock species, not just cattle. The now-amended Humane Transportation of Animals regulations are meant to focus on the time frames during which animals are […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Hog futures rise on pork shipments to China
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures strengthened on Thursday as the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported shipments of U.S. pork to China last week reached their highest in at least 10 months. Traders and analysts are focusing on exports to China because it is the world’s top pork consumer and has lost about half […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle retreat from contract highs
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures ended mostly lower on Wednesday as the market retreated from contract highs reached this week. Feeder cattle and hog futures were also mostly weaker. Analysts predict meat packers such as Tyson Foods and JBS USA will buy fewer cattle over the next two weeks because Christmas and […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME cattle, hogs mixed on trade detail uncertainty
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures slipped on Tuesday, as uncertainty about details from the U.S.-China “Phase 1” trade agreement continued to make the market nervous, brokers said. Meanwhile, Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) live and feeder cattle futures continued to consolidate after Friday’s big price rally in the wake of the trade agreement news. […] Read more