Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures climbed to a roughly 1-1/2 year high on Thursday, boosted by gains in cash cattle prices that widened futures’ discount to the cash market, dealers said. Feedlots bought a small number of cattle in Nebraska at $128/cwt, up $2 from last week (all figures US$). […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cattle firm on discount to cash trades

U.S. livestock: Cattle extend gains on fund buying
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle futures extended gains on Wednesday, with most live and feeder cattle contracts hitting lifetime highs on investment fund buying as wholesale beef prices also climbed, traders said. The higher cattle prices came despite expectations for weaker trades this week in U.S. Plains cash cattle markets as some beef packers […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cattle hit 2-1/2-week highs
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures jumped to a 2-1/2 week peak on Tuesday while lean hogs were mostly higher on support from investment fund buying linked to big gains in wholesale beef prices, traders and analysts said. Most-active Chicago Mercantile Exchange June live cattle futures gained for the fifth straight session, settling […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle up for fourth straight session
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle rose for a fourth consecutive session on Monday, fueled by short-covering and futures’ discounts to last week’s cash prices, said traders. Last weekend’s news that China offered to lift its ban on U.S. beef helped spike Chicago Mercantile Exchange over one per cent on Monday. But, […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle extend gains as funds buy
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle rose for a third straight day on Friday with support from fund buying and futures’ discounts to late-afternoon cash price expectations, said traders. They said some market participants sold April futures and simultaneously bought deferred months in a trading strategy known as bear spreading. April live […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Bargain buying rallies CME hogs
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hogs closed higher on Thursday after bargain buying lifted futures from four-month lows, said traders. They said buy stops and deferred-month technical buying furthered market advances. April hogs ended up 0.3 cent/lb. to 63.925 cents, and May 1.2 cents higher at 69.55 cents (all figures US$). “We […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle end firmer despite cash pessimism
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures gained modestly on Wednesday, aided by their discounts to this week’s cash price expectations, said traders. They said sufficient supplies and seasonally tepid wholesale beef demand capped market advances. April live cattle closed up 0.05 cent/lb. to 118.275 cents, and June up 0.125 cent to […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME hog futures hit four-month low
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures fell to their lowest level since early December on Tuesday, with ample supplies dragging down cash prices for a ninth straight session, said traders. April hogs ended 1.125 cents/lb. lower at 63.675 cents, and May closed down 1.225 cents to 68.175 cents (all figures US$). […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME hog futures slump on pork demand fears
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures fell on Monday, pressured by concerns that the seasonal bump in supplies might further hurt cash prices and curb retail pork buying, said traders. They said sell stops and fund liquidation hastened hog market losses. April hogs ended 0.875 cent/lb. lower at 64.8 cents, and […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cash discounts lift live cattle
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures closed firmer on Wednesday, with support from short-covering tied to futures’ discounts to preliminary cash prices, said traders. April live cattle closed 0.575 cent/lb. higher at 121.35 cents, and June up 0.25 cent to 111.85 cents (all figures US$). Market-ready, or cash, cattle at Wednesday […] Read more