Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures dropped on Thursday on profit-taking and fund liquidation ahead of the U.S. Agriculture Department’s monthly Cattle on Feed report. Feeder cattle followed live cattle futures lower. Hog futures were mixed on bull spreading, with the front month contract rising in thin trading while deferreds weakened. […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures drop

Supreme Court finds for provinces in ‘Free the beer’ case
Ottawa | Reuters — Canada’s top court on Thursday ruled against a New Brunswick man who had argued he had the constitutional right to buy beer more cheaply in a neighbouring province, saying that the law does not impose absolute free trade across the country. Dubbed the “free the beer” case in Canadian media, it […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cattle, hog futures rise
Chicago | Reuters –– Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures rose on Wednesday, supported by steady-to-higher early-week cash prices, traders said. Hogs drew support from higher cash and wholesale pork prices. Futures were further supported by lower week-over-week hog weights. It’s a “good sign that these weights are coming down,” said Dan Norcini, an independent […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Live cattle rise on strong packer margins
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures firmed on Tuesday, bouncing back from Monday’s declines. Traders said good profit margins at packers supported the gains. April live cattle closed 0.9 cent/lb. higher at 118.05 cents (all figures US$). The contract hit its highest since March 21. June ended up 0.725 cent, to […] Read more

Germany moving ahead with plans to restrict glyphosate
Berlin | Reuters — German Agriculture Minister Julia Kloeckner on Tuesday said she was finalizing a draft regulation to end use of glyphosate herbicide in household gardens, parks and sports facilities, and to set “massive” limits for its use in agriculture. The chemical, made by Monsanto, is at the centre of a heated debate in […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME nearby live cattle firm, deferred months weak
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures were mostly weaker on Monday, with traders locking in profits after prices rose on Friday. Lingering concerns over a snowstorm that covered northern areas of the Midwest and Plains provided support to some nearby contracts, a trader said. But overall, supplies were expected to remain […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle settle mixed, hogs firmer
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle April futures on Friday drew support from late-week cash price strength, while profit-taking weighed on the June contract, said traders. Short-covering and technical buying underpinned deep-deferred trading months, they said. April live cattle closed 1.325 cents/lb. higher at 117.075 cents (all figures US$). June ended down […] Read more

U.S. to take another look at Pacific trade pact
Washington | Reuters — U.S. President Donald Trump has asked his trade advisers to look at rejoining the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a multinational trade pact he withdrew the U.S. from last year, White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said. Republican senators met with Trump on Thursday and he told them that he has asked U.S. Trade Representative […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle, hogs close higher
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle hit a two-week high Thursday, driven by short-covering and futures’ discounts to this week’s prices for slaughter-ready, or cash, cattle, said traders. Remaining cash prices in parts of the northern U.S. Plains might benefit from tight cattle supplies along with forecasts for heavy snow and high […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle, hogs end mostly firmer
Chicago | Reuters — Most Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle contracts closed firmer on Wednesday as investors digested initial prices for slaughter-ready, or cash, cattle while bracing for hefty supplies ahead, said traders. Market participants are also monitoring forecasts for a weekend snowstorm in the northern U.S. Plains that could disrupt livestock production in the […] Read more