Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures jumped to their highest price since April on Thursday on U.S. supply concerns and strength in outside markets, brokers said. Live cattle reached a two-week high in the most-active contract, while feeder cattle futures slumped under pressure from soaring costs for grain used for livestock […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs touch highest level since April
Live cattle up, feeder cattle lower

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle fall on global recession worries
Lean hogs buck downward trend
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures fell on Tuesday, following broad declines in commodities and Wall Street equities tied to fears of a global economic recession, traders said. “It’s the economy. You’ve got the fears of going into a recession,” said Don Roose, president of Iowa-based U.S. Commodities. “So goes the […] Read more

Swine fever outbreak in Germany’s top pork state poses lasting threat
Risk seen for spread to neighbours Netherlands, France
Hamburg | Reuters — The spread of African swine fever to Germany’s most important pig rearing region has dealt a serious blow to the sector with major markets such as China likely to maintain import bans for years to come, analysts said on Monday. The outbreak on a farm in Emsland, Lower Saxony is the […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Hog futures rise to two-month high
CME cattle futures mixed
Chicago | Reuters — CME hog futures rose to their highest in two months on Tuesday as slowdowns on processing lines raised concerns about tightening supplies. Cattle futures were mixed, with feeder cattle contracts firming as falling corn prices improved prospects of cheaper feed and strong profit margins for packers. Live cattle contracts ended slightly […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle mixed on uncertain consumer demand
Export strength supports lean hogs
Indianapolis | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures were mixed on Thursday, with nearby contracts firming, while the most-active cattle futures eased pressured by inflationary concerns, though markets remain underpinned by tight cattle supplies across much of the U.S. Plains, analysts said. “The weakness comes from the uncertainty of the economy – how […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle climb as cash markets surge
Firm cash prices also supportive in hogs
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures jumped two per cent on Wednesday, lifted by rising prices for market-ready cattle in the cash market, traders said. Cash cattle traded in Nebraska at around $145 per hundredweight, traders said, up $2-$4 from last week and significantly higher than nearby futures prices (all figures […] Read more

Hog sector to focus on margins in face of outside volatility
'Counter-cyclical' moves seen in markets
MarketsFarm — The hog sector has found itself caught up in the general uncertainty of many commodity and financial markets — making it more difficult than normal to predict where values could be headed. “We’re seeing a ton of volatility and it feels like we’re in a bit of transition on supply versus expectations,” said […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME cattle tumble on worries of waning demand
Hogs up off recent lows
Chicago | Reuters — Concerns about red-hot U.S. inflation knocked down Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle and feeder cattle futures on Monday, as rising prices threaten beef demand, analysts said. Demand is most at risk for expensive steaks and other pricey cuts as some consumers shift to buying cheaper items, analysts said. U.S. consumer prices […] Read more

Beef sector calls for Health Canada label exception
The Canadian Cattlemen's Association wants ground beef exempted from proposed rules
The cattle sector is less than pleased by a Health Canada proposal that would put a ‘high saturated fat’ label on retail ground beef. The proposal is part of a suite of changes proposed for Canada’s Food and Drug Regulations. As well as adding a front-of-packaging (FOP) label requirement for foods deemed by Health Canada […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures consolidate near peaks
Chicago hog futures fall
Chicago | Reuters — CME Group cattle futures stabilized near recent highs on Thursday, with strong cash markets and a round of speculative buying underpinning prices. Hog futures fell as the soybean futures market rallied to its highest in nearly 10 years, raising the prospect of higher feed costs. The U.S. Agriculture Department said on […] Read more