CME October 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, red and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle mostly up with consumption forecast

Chicago lean hogs also up on day

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures ended mostly firmer on Wednesday as wholesale beef prices stabilized after a recent slide and as a monthly government report helped to temper concerns about waning consumption. Gains were capped by eroding beef packer margins, although cattle demand is likely to remain high this week […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Stronger barley prices limit upside for feeder cattle complex

Feedlot operators make barley purchases, price feeder cattle accordingly

Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded $2 higher to as much as $5 lower. A softer tone was noted on yearlings in the eastern Prairie regions. Calf prices were steady to $4 lower on average compared to seven days earlier. Quality yearling packages fresh off grass held value but backgrounded heavier replacements […] Read more


CME December 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, dark red and black lines). (Barchart)

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

Photo: iStock/Getty Images

U.S. livestock: Hog futures mixed; cattle futures steady-weak

Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures ended mixed on Friday as traders waited for fresh news to gauge demand levels. The most-active CME December lean hog futures contract LHZ2 dropped 0.625 cent to 77.15 cents per lb, with support noted around the contract’s 10-day moving average. Front-month October hogs LHV2 rose 0.575 cents to settle […] Read more


CME December 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, brown and black lines). (Barchart)

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



CME October 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

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

CME December 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 20- and 100-day moving averages (pink and brown lines, right column) and CME cash Lean Hog Index (black line, left column). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs, live cattle retreat on technical selling

Funds net long in hogs, cattle

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange benchmark December lean hog futures fell about four per cent on Tuesday, hitting a 10-month low on technical selling and worries about consumer demand for meat, traders said. Brokers shrugged off strength in outside markets including crude oil and Wall Street equity markets, which firmed as fears eased […] Read more


CME December 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, red and black lines). (Barchart)

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

CME December 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, red and black lines). (Barchart)

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