CME October 2023 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle ease on weak cash market

Lean hog futures mostly higher

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures declined on Thursday as a weak tone to the cash market and worries about slowing beef demand weighed on prices, traders said. Livestock traders were monitoring cash market activity at Plains feedlots, where fed cattle were lightly bid at $178/cwt, below the bulk of cash […] Read more

CME August 2023 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures turn lower

Current-year hog futures higher

Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle and feeder cattle futures took a turn lower in resumed trading Wednesday while near-month hogs turned higher. Most-active August live cattle came back off the U.S. Independence Day break down for a second day off Friday’s three-week high, closing Wednesday at 174.95 cents/lb., down 1.875 cents from Monday (all figures […] Read more


CME August 2023 feeder cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME feeder cattle firm on choppy corn trade

Live cattle, lean hogs mixed

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures eased and feeder cattle futures ticked up on Monday, as corn prices faced a choppy trading day at the start of this holiday-shortened week, traders said. Meanwhile, the hog market ended the day mixed, with nearby contracts continuing to be bullish on growing buyer interest, […] Read more

CME August 2023 lean hogs with 100-day moving average and October 2023 lean hogs (brown line). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME nearby hog futures up ahead of herd data

Cattle up on bullish fundamentals

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange nearby lean hog futures ended higher on Thursday, as wholesale pork prices rose, cash hog prices firmed and traders awaited quarterly hog data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Benchmark August hogs settled up 1.225 cents at 92.325 cents/lb. after reaching 93 cents, right at the contract’s […] Read more


CME August 2023 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle climb on firm cash markets

Chicago lean hogs end mixed

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle closed higher for a second session on Wednesday, lifted by strength in the cash market tied to tightening U.S. cattle supplies, traders said, while tumbling corn prices lifted feeder cattle futures. CME August live cattle futures settled up 1.375 cents at 173.875 cents/lb. (all figures US$). […] Read more

CME August 2023 live cattle with 20- and 100-day moving averages and October 2023 live cattle (black line). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle weak on large May placements

Slowing beef demand also a factor

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures ended flat to lower on Monday on larger-than-expected feedlot placements in May and expectations for slower demand for beef for outdoor grilling following the U.S. Independence Day holiday. Sharply higher feed corn prices early in Monday’s trading session weighed on the live and feeder cattle […] Read more


CME August 2023 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle inch higher in technical bounce

Chicago lean hogs end mixed

Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange closed modestly higher on Thursday on rising wholesale beef prices and a technical bounce after the benchmark August contract dipped to a two-week low. The cattle market has been consolidating after a surge to contract highs on June 7 triggered several days of […] Read more

CME August 2023 live cattle with 10-, 20- and 50-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle fall on technical selling

Wholesale pork prices lift hogs

Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange fell on Wednesday on chart-based selling and expectations of a seasonal slowdown in beef demand in the coming weeks, traders said. CME benchmark August live cattle futures settled down 2.95 cents at 170.975 cents/lb., with technical selling accelerating as the contract dropped below […] Read more


CME August 2023 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle end up as beef prices rise

Chicago lean hog futures end mixed

Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange closed higher on Tuesday, rallying from early declines, as strong beef prices and tight cattle supplies buoyed futures, traders said. CME August live cattle futures settled up 0.725 cent at 173.925 cents/lb. (all figures US$). August feeder cattle finished up 1.4 cents at […] Read more

CME August 2023 lean hogs with 20-day moving average and CME cash lean hog index (brown line). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs extend climb on bargain-buying

Cash prices support cattle futures

Chicago | Reuters — Benchmark lean hog futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange set a one-month high on Monday on short-covering and bargain-buying as the July contract extended its rebound from life-of-contract lows set in late May, traders said. CME July lean hogs settled up 1.975 cents at 91.6 cents/lb. after reaching 93.125 cents, the […] Read more