Chicago | Reuters — For the first time in five sessions Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures landed in positive territory on Tuesday, helped by the turnaround in wholesale beef values, traders said. August closed 0.55 cent/lb. higher at 147.15 cents, and October up 0.6 cent to 150.325 cents (all figures US$). Tuesday morning’s wholesale […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Beef price upswing snaps skid for live cattle

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle down fourth straight session
Chicago | Reuters — Monday saw Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures slide for a fourth consecutive session, dragged down by slumping seasonal beef demand that could again pressure cash prices for this week, traders said. August closed down 0.875 cent/lb. to 146.625 cents, and October 0.7 cent lower at 149.75 cents (all figures US$). […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Fundamental woes extend losses for CME live cattle
Chicago | Reuters — A selloff of Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures carried over into the third straight session on Friday, pressured by diminished seasonal beef demand and sentiment that cash prices may have topped out, traders said. August closed down one cent per pound at 147.475 cents, and October fell 1.375 cents, to […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle sag, but off session lows
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures posted losses on Thursday, hit by slumping wholesale beef demand and initial technical selling, traders said. But, short-covering and hopes of steady-to-better cash prices than last week for unsold cattle freed contracts from morning lows, they said. August closed down 0.525 cent/lb. to 148.475 cents, […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Stock market turmoil rattles CME live cattle
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures settled lower on Wednesday, pressured in part by the tumbling Chinese stock market and its impact on Wall Street, traders said. World markets were shaken during the day by a halt in New York Stock Exchange trading, the crash in Chinese stocks and Greece’s ongoing […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle end higher after wild ride
Chicago | Reuters –– Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures settled higher on Tuesday after a choppy session in which anticipation of stronger cash prices overshadowed slack wholesale beef demand, traders said. August closed up 0.575 cent/lb. at 151.075 cents, and October 0.55 cent higher at 154.025 cents (all figures US$). Fewer market-ready (cash) cattle […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Strong cash prices drive CME live cattle limit-up
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures closed up their three cent/lb. maximum daily price limit on Wednesday, ignited by short-covering in response to better-than-expected cash prices, traders said. August and October finished at 151.075 and 153.7 cents, respectively (all figures US$). The CME live cattle trading limit will be expanded to […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Corn prices drop CME feeder cattle limit down
Chicago | Reuters — Thinly traded Chicago Mercantile Exchange feeder cattle futures closed down their 4.5-cent/lb. maximum daily limit on Tuesday, responding to steep corn market gains, traders said. Chicago Board of Trade corn futures jumped nearly eight per cent after the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s bullish grain report. Pricey corn could increase input costs […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle rebound on short-covering
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle closed higher on Monday, supported by short-covering before the final trading session of the quarter on Tuesday, analysts said. June, which will also expire on Tuesday, finished 1.275 cents/lb. higher at 149.675 cents, and August up 1.35 cents, to 149.875 cents (all figures US$). “I think […] Read more

Less-potent pig virus fuels U.S. hog herd growth, but rate slows
Reuters — The U.S. hog herd grew nine per cent during the March-May quarter compared with a year ago, a U.S. Department of Agriculture report showed on Friday, reflecting better measures to combat a deadly pig virus which resulted in record pigs per litter, analysts said. However, weaker hog prices last quarter eroded farmer profits […] Read more