Photo: File

U.S. livestock: Lower cash prices sink CME live cattle for 3rd straight day

Chicago/Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures slid for a third day in a row on Thursday, hitting 13-month lows in those sessions, following preliminary cash price weakness, traders said. August closed 1.150 cents per lb lower at 143.350 cents, and October was down 1.800 cents at 144.650 cents. On Thursday, market-ready, or cash, […] Read more

Photo: Thinkstock

U.S. Livestock: CME live cattle again sag to 13-month low as beef demand fades

Chicago/Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle sank to a 13-month low for a second straight session on Wednesday as wholesale beef demand continued to flounder seasonally, traders said. August closed 0.650 cent per lb lower at 144.500 cents, and October down 0.825 cent at 146.450 cents. Wednesday morning’s wholesale choice beef price, or cutout, […] Read more


U.S. livestock: Cash price pessimism drops CME live cattle to 13-month low

Chicago / Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle fell to their lowest level in 13 months on Tuesday in anticipation of lower prices this week for market-ready, or cash, cattle, traders said. August closed 1.600 cents per lb lower at 145.150 cents, and October down 1.750 cents at 147.275 cents. On Tuesday, isolated cash […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle futures finish mostly weak; hogs lower

Chicago / Reuters – Most Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle contracts ended weak on Monday after investors sold deferred months and bought August because of its discount to last week’s cash prices, traders said. August closed up 0.100 cent per lb at 146.750 cents, October 0.100 cent lower at 149.025 cents and December down 0.075 […] Read more


France’s Agriculture Minister Stephane Le Foll says “nearly 10 per cent” of the country’s livestock operations “are on the verge of going bankrupt.” (Agriculture.gouv.fr)

France says livestock crisis putting thousands of farms at risk

Paris | Reuters –– A downturn in France’s livestock sector has put thousands of farms close to bankruptcy, the government said Friday, as it seeks to contain a crisis that has undermined a flagship pledge to improve the livelihood of livestock producers. Farmers say a deteriorating international market, marked by a Russian food embargo, slowing […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle settle mixed after bouncy session

Chicago | Reuters –– Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures closed mixed on Friday after a choppy session swayed by pre-weekend positioning and investors digesting this week’s lower cash prices, traders said. August closed up 0.15 cent/lb. at 146.65 cents, and October down 0.3 cent at 149.125 cents (all figures US$). On Friday, market-ready (cash) […] Read more


(Canada Beef Inc. photo)

U.S. livestock: Sluggish beef demand takes down CME live cattle

Chicago | Reuters –– Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures closed lower for a second day in a row on Thursday, pressured by lacklustre wholesale beef demand that could drag down this week’s cash prices, traders said. August closed 0.525 cent/lb. lower at 146.5 cents, and October down 0.8 cent at 149.425 cents (all figures […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: Lower cash-price sentiment weakens CME live cattle

Chicago | Reuters –– After gaining for the first time in five days on Tuesday, Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures resumed their downward trend on Wednesday, pressured by expectations for lower cash prices this week, traders said. August closed 0.125 cent/lb. lower at 147.025 cents, and October down 0.1 cent at 150.225 cents (all […] Read more


Ukraine’s Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk and Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper meet at Meech Lake’s Willson House at Chelsea, Que. on Tuesday. (Deb Ransom photo courtesy PMO)

Talks wrap on Canada/Ukraine free trade pact

Canada’s crop and livestock producers expect to benefit soon from a free trade agreement with Ukraine, on which the two countries’ governments have now formally completed talks. Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced Tuesday, during a visit from Ukraine’s Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, that trade negotiations between the two countries wrapped up in Kiev on July 9, and […] Read more

(Canada Beef Inc. photo)

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

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