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

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle post near-eight-year highs

Firming cash prices support February, April live cattle; hogs lower

Chicago | Reuters — Benchmark live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange set life-of-contract highs on Friday and the front contract hit its highest since 2015 as shrinking cattle supplies lifted cash prices, traders said. Market-ready cattle traded in southern Plains cash markets at $160-$162 per hundredweight (cwt), traders said, steady to $2 higher […] Read more

CME February 2023 live cattle with 20-day moving average and April (dark red line) and June (black line) 2023 live cattle. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME spot live cattle futures near eight-year top

Deferred-month cattle, lean hogs lower

Chicago | Reuters — Front-month live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange reached a near eight-year high on Wednesday, supported by tightening U.S. cattle supplies and rising wholesale beef prices, while the most actively traded contracts drifted lower as market players awaited more direction from cash cattle markets. CME’s spot February live cattle futures […] Read more


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

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle ease on profit-taking

February cattle lower after nearing eight-year top; hogs follow cash prices higher

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures closed lower on Tuesday on profit-taking after rising to the highest levels in nearly eight years, with worries about the health of the U.S. economy adding to bearish sentiment, analysts said. Benchmark April live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange settled down 0.425 cent at 164.675 […] Read more

CME April 2023 live cattle with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle near eight-year highs

Cash cattle markets firm up

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures climbed to contract and multi-year highs on Monday on optimism about firming cash cattle prices and tightening U.S. cattle supplies. Most-active April live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange settled up 1.15 cents at 165.1 cents/lb. after recording a contract high at 165.25 cents. Front-month February […] Read more


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

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures firm

CME hog futures hold steady

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures edged higher on Friday, with low animal weights supporting prices that hit their highest in nearly eight years earlier this week. “It’s a trend that doesn’t get reversed quickly, and likely sets us up for lighter weights well into the spring,” brokerage StoneX wrote in a note […] Read more

CME April 2023 live cattle with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures mixed, remain near highest since 2015

Chicago lean hogs end lower

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle futures were narrowly mixed on Thursday, consolidating around the near eight-year high hit earlier in the week. Limited supplies in the cash market underpinned futures prices. “The packers will have to bid up to get these animals,” said Dan Smith, senior risk manager at Top Third Ag Marketing. “The […] Read more


CME February 2023 live cattle with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures firm, tight supplies underpin

Hogs up off 13-month lows

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures firmed on Wednesday, supported by tightening cattle supplies and strong cash trade that continue to push front-month futures to near eight-year highs. “The cash price outlook right now is very firm,” said Doug Houghton, technical analyst at Brock Capital Management. “The overall supply outlook is for […] Read more

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

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures ease off highest since 2015

Hogs up off lowest since late 2021

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures fell on Tuesday, snapping an 11-session streak of gains on a profit-taking setback after hitting their highest in more than seven years. Some signs of weakness in the cash markets and concerns about profit margins added pressure. Hog futures were firmer after hitting their lowest in […] Read more



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

U.S. livestock: CME cattle futures extend winning streak

Front-month live cattle, feeders hit highest since 2015; lean hogs down

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures rose for the 11th session in a row on Monday, hitting their highest in more than seven years as tight supplies continued to fuel a rally. Strength in the cash market added to the gains in cattle futures. But surplus supplies weighed on the hog markets, […] Read more