Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures on Wednesday reached a contract high for the second consecutive day on strong demand and a decline in farm animal weights, analysts said. Average hog weights have declined as processors have cleared a backlog of hogs on farms that began last spring when COVID-19 outbreaks temporarily shut […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Hogs set contract high on strong demand, lighter weights
CME cattle futures close lower

U.S. livestock: CME lean hog futures hit contract high
Cattle futures up on domestic, export demand for beef
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures surged to a contract high on strong demand and technical buying on Tuesday, while cattle futures also advanced, analysts said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange April lean hog futures settled up 2.575 cents at 78.075 cents/lb. (all figures US$). The contract traded up to 78.225 cents, topping a previous […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Profit-taking hits live cattle futures
CME April hogs also down off Friday's high
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures weakened on Monday on profit-taking and as the market pulled back from a one-year high reached last week, traders said. Strong demand for beef has supported cattle futures recently, and beef prices continue to rise. Choice cuts advanced $1.82, to $235.77/cwt, and select cuts climbed $2.98, to […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Live cattle slide on end-month profit-taking
Firm pork prices support CME lean hogs
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures closed lower on Friday as traders booked profits at the end of the week and month, and as Wall Street equity markets declined, traders said. Lower-than-expected cash cattle trades added to bearish sentiment. Market-ready cattle traded in the cash market as high as $113/cwt, traders said, up […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Live cattle end narrowly mixed
Hogs also mixed, feeder cattle mostly lower
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures closed narrowly mixed on Thursday, with the benchmark April contract inching higher as strong wholesale beef prices continued to support the market, traders said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange April live cattle settled up 0.075 cent at 122.7 cents/lb. (all figures US$). But front-month February futures ended lower, down […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Live cattle, lean hogs end lower on profit-taking
March feeder cattle also lower
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures fell on Wednesday in a light profit-taking setback following a four-session climb, and on spillover weakness from declines in Wall Street equity markets, traders said. However, continued strength in wholesale beef prices and expectations of higher cash cattle prices this week underpinned the market. Chicago Mercantile Exchange […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Rising beef prices buoy CME live cattle futures
Colder spell in U.S. Midwest, Plains lifts hogs
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures rose on Tuesday for a fourth straight session, with deferred months setting life-of-contract highs as robust demand for beef lifted packer profit margins and bolstered demand for market-ready cattle, traders said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange April live cattle futures settled up 0.15 cent at 123.1 cents/lb., while June […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Live cattle end firm, led by rising beef prices
Lean hog futures edge higher
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures closed higher on Monday as support from strong wholesale beef prices and expectations of firm cash cattle prices overshadowed pressure from bearish data in a monthly cattle report released late Friday, traders said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange April live cattle futures settled up 0.425 cent at 122.95 cents/lb. […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Feeder cattle gain from falling feed prices
Live cattle, lean hog futures also up
Chicago | Reuters — CME Group feeder cattle futures rose on Friday, bolstered by falling corn futures. March feeder cattle gained five cents to settle at 144.15 cents, adding 9.575 cents for the week — a 7.1 per cent gain as corn fell 5.8 per cent, its biggest drop since the week ending March 20, […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Live cattle climb ahead of USDA report
Chicago | Reuters — CME Group live cattle futures gained on Thursday ahead of a closely watched monthly Cattle on Feed report, due out on Friday from the U.S. Agriculture Department. Traders anticipate the report will show fewer cattle heading into feedlots, as recent rallies in the grain market have increased feed costs. “The incentive, […] Read more