Brasilia | Reuters — A Brazilian judge has blocked JBS SA’s planned sale of a South American unit while the attorney general’s office urged the company’s assets be frozen, in signs of fallout from a corruption probe involving the controlling shareholders of the world’s No. 1 meatpacker. Federal Judge Ricardo Leite blocked JBS’s US$300 million sale […] Read more
Brazil blocks JBS deal, seeks asset freeze
U.S. livestock: Cattle settle mostly lower on technical selling
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle and feeder cattle futures were mostly lower in a technical selloff on Tuesday, with each declining to the lowest levels in about two months before trimming losses. Broad selling in many commodities, led by crude oil, further weighed on cattle at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. “We had a […] Read more
JBS aims to shed Alberta feedlot in divestment plan
Sao Paulo/Chicago | Reuters — Brazilian meatpacker JBS SA revealed a major divestment plan Tuesday, putting its Alberta cattle feeding assets and others on the block to cut debt after a corruption scandal raised concerns about its financing costs. JBS, whose controlling shareholder recently agreed to pay a massive leniency fine after becoming embroiled in […] Read more
Abu Dhabi fund not eyeing bid for JBS, source says
Abu Dhabi/Sao Paulo | Reuters — Shares of JBS SA erased gains on Friday after a source denied that Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala Development Co. PJSC was arranging partners to make a bid for control of the world’s largest meatpacker. A person with direct knowledge of Mubadala’s strategy told Reuters that, despite a […] Read more
Brazil federal police raid JBS on insider trade probe
Sao Paulo | Reuters — Brazil’s federal police on Friday raided the offices of JBS SA to investigate the alleged use of insider information in financial market dealings, pushing shares in the embattled meatpacker to a two-week low. Police said there were indications that JBS and controlling shareholder FB Participacoes SA gained an unfair advantage […] Read more
JBS says Pilgrim’s Pride stake not for sale
Chicago | Reuters — Brazilian meat packer JBS SA’s core U.S. assets, including its majority stake in Pilgrim’s Pride Corp., are not for sale, the company said on Wednesday, a day after announcing a deal to sell Argentine operations. U.S. chicken company Pilgrim’s Pride is critical to JBS’ long-term strategy of pursuing business opportunities that […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle tumble in technical selloff after contract highs
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures fell more than one per cent on Tuesday, reversing from earlier life-of-contract highs on pressure from investment fund and technical selling, traders and analysts said. Feeder cattle futures declined by their daily price limit of 4.5 cents/lb. while lean hog futures were mostly one per cent higher […] Read more
JBS sells LatAm units to Minerva
Sao Paulo | Reuters — JBS SA has agreed to sell plants in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay to rival Minerva SA for US$300 million, as the world’s largest meatpacker seeks cash to weather a corruption scandal that caused a spike in funding costs. JBS will use proceeds from the transaction to cut debt, according to […] Read more
JBS parent to pay record fine in leniency deal
Brasilia/Sao Paulo | Reuters — J+F Investimentos, controlling shareholder of the globe’s largest meatpacker JBS SA, agreed to pay a record-setting 10.3 billion real (C$4.3 billion) fine for its role in corruption scandals that threaten to oust President Michel Temer, Brazilian prosecutors said. The settlement means that Brazil’s three-year sweeping graft investigations have now led […] Read more
JBS scandal might reduce Brazil meat supplies, industry group says
Sao Paulo/Cuiaba | Reuters — An unfolding corruption scandal involving meatpacker JBS SA may reduce meat supply in Brazil, potentially benefiting rivals of the world’s largest beef exporter, industry group Abrafrigo said. Since the scandal broke, JBS and ranchers have been at odds, with the company deciding to stop buying cattle for cash and producers […] Read more
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