Wholesale beef prices have jumped this week as retailers and meat processors look ahead to the Memorial Day weekend at the end of the month. The holiday is considered the start of the peak grilling season for products like steaks and hamburgers.
Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures firmed for a second straight day on Wednesday as rising beef prices and strong packer demand ahead of the Memorial Day holiday weekend supported the market, analysts said.
Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle and feeder cattle futures rallied on Tuesday as soaring boxed beef prices fueled hopes for increased demand, analysts said.
It’s that time of year when available supplies start to decline. At the same time, demand is limited. Most backgrounding operators have sufficient numbers and demand for grassers is waning. Ontario interest was noted in Manitoba and Eastern Saskatchewan, which appeared to sustain prices near last week’s levels.
Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) live cattle futures eased on Monday on ample supplies of market-ready cattle and expectations for flat to lower cash cattle sales this week, traders and analysts said.
Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) cattle futures were mixed on Friday, with live cattle contracts turning higher and a rally in Chicago corn futures Cv1 pressuring most feeder cattle contracts lower.
Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) cattle futures turned lower on Thursday amid a day of sideways and choppy trading, as wholesale beef prices dropped and cash cattle markets saw limited activity.
Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures firmed on Tuesday on technical buying, while lean hog contracts ended higher in a technical and short-covering rebound following four days of declines.
For the week ending May 4, Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were quite variable and the market was hard to define. Alberta and certain regions of Saskatchewan received snow, which caused the market to trade $3 to $5 lower. However, in Eastern Saskatchewan and Manitoba, feeder cattle prices were steady to $3 higher.
Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures rallied on Thursday after the U.S. government said retail samples of ground beef tested negative for the bird flu virus.