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U.S. livestock: Live cattle mixed on seasonal slump, domestic demand worries

Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange spot live cattle futures rose on Tuesday, as the northern cash market continued to trade at a record premium over the south amid drought-hit grazing grounds, traders said. But CME’s benchmark August live cattle futures LCQ2 and deferred contracts slipped on worries about the health of the U.S. economy, and […] Read more


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U.S. livestock: Hog futures rise as traders cover short positions

Chicago | Reuters – CME Group hog futures firmed on Friday as traders covered short positions after prices fell 5.6 percent over the last two sessions, though demand concerns capped gains. A U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report showed that pork export sales in the week ended June 16 totalled 27,600 tonnes, unchanged from a week earlier. […] Read more



CME July 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 20- and 50-day moving averages (pink and brown lines) and CME cash lean hog index (purple line). (Barchart)

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

CME August 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-day moving average (pink line) and October 2022 live cattle (dark red line). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle up on rising cash prices

Lean hogs up in pre-long weekend trade

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures closed stronger on Friday on rising cash prices, while lean hog futures hit two-week highs, analysts said. Feeder cattle futures also ended firmer. The markets advanced as U.S. stocks bounced back from a sharp selloff in the prior session. Losses in equities and concerns about […] Read more


CME August 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-day moving average (pink line) and June 2022 live cattle (black line). (Barchart)

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

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

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


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

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle bounce back on bargain buying

July hogs touch six-day high, end lower

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures finished higher on Tuesday in a rebound from recent losses, brokers said. However, concerns about the risk of beef demand falling due to U.S. inflation continued to hang over the market, analysts said. They warn rising prices may increasingly push consumers to eat cheaper food […] Read more

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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