Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures jumped nearly five per cent on Monday on bargain buying after the benchmark December contract on Friday dipped to its lowest in nearly three weeks, traders said. CME December hogs settled up 4.075 cents at 87.05 cents/lb., surging in early moves after the contract was […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs rally on bargain buying
Chicago live cattle firm

Pork packer Olymel laying off dozens of managers
Market unpredictability, 'growth challenges' cited
Major Canadian pork and poultry packer Olymel has laid off 57 people from its management ranks and eliminated another 120 administrative positions, citing the company’s current “market context and growth challenges.” Olymel, the meat packing arm of Quebec-based Sollio Cooperative Group, said Tuesday its affected employees were notified Monday and have received their layoff notices. […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures hit over seven-year high
CME lean hogs also close higher
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle contracts rose on Tuesday and the front-month contract hit its highest in more than seven years on strength in the cash market, traders said. Hog futures were also firm, with chart-based buying after contracts broke through key technical resistance points on Monday. CME December lean hog […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Lean hog futures rise on good demand
Cattle futures mostly lower
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures climbed to a near three-week high on Friday as strong demand and improved pork packer margins sparked buying ahead of the weekend, traders said. Another solid week of pork export sales added support, soothing concerns about rising supplies of market-ready hogs, they said. “Demand is […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cattle, hogs mostly down on weak margins, inflation worries
Beef packer margins in negative territory
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle and hog futures ended mostly lower on Thursday on eroding meat packer margins and as soaring inflation raises demand concerns, traders said. Technical selling and profit-taking further fueled declines in livestock futures after live cattle and lean hog contracts touched 2-1/2-week highs this week. A U.S. Labor […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Live cattle firm as packer margins turn negative
Lean hog futures settle lower
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures firmed on Tuesday as supplies tighten, with beef packer margins falling into the negative for the first time in years, traders said. Beef packers lost $14.35 per head on Tuesday, compared to earnings of $1.60 a day earlier and $18.40 the week before, according to […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Hog futures firm on technical buying
Cattle futures close mostly lower
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures firmed for the second day in a row on Thursday, with technical buying supporting prices following the market’s bounce from a 10-month low on Wednesday, traders said. CME December lean hog futures settled up 1.275 cents at 77.775 cents/lb. (all figures US$). Front-month October hogs […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME hogs up off 10-month low on bargain-buying
Live cattle also up on technical buying
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures closed higher on Wednesday on bargain buying, a day after the benchmark December contract fell to a 10-month low, traders said. CME December lean hog futures settled up 2.075 cents at 76.5 cents/lb. (all figures US$). Front-month October hogs ended up 3.8 cents, at 90.8 […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME cattle, hogs up on technical buying, short-covering
Recession worries still loom large
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle, feeder cattle and lean hog futures strengthened on Monday on technical buying and short covering, after recent selloffs were overdone, brokers said. Concerns about the risks for a global recession, which could reduce demand for beef, continued to hang over livestock markets, brokers said. Wall Street […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle lower, underpinned by tight supply
October lean hogs also lower
Chicago | Reuters — Benchmark live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange eased on Friday, pressured by softening cash trade across the U.S. Plains, though markets remain supported by tightening supplies as producers continue to liquidate their herds, analysts said. “Our short-term supply issues are still front and centre. We’re running two-three per cent […] Read more