CME October 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, dark red and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME cattle futures soften amid recession fears

CME lean hogs close higher

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle and feeder cattle futures weakened on Monday amid spillover pressure from weakness in equity markets, analysts said. U.S. stocks closed lower, adding to sharp losses last week, on nagging concerns about the Federal Reserve’s determination to hike interest rates to fight inflation even as the economy […] Read more

CME October 2022 feeder cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, dark red and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME feeder cattle weaken as grain prices climb

Chicago lean hogs end mixed

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange feeder cattle futures declined on Friday as a spike in crop prices signaled higher costs for livestock feed, brokers said. Grain and soybean futures rallied at the Chicago Board of Trade on concerns that unfavourable heat and dryness in the U.S. Midwest will limit yields in the upcoming […] Read more


CME October 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 200-day moving average (black line) and Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hog futures up off lowest since February

Chicago cattle futures mixed

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange hog futures on Thursday edged up from a 6-1/2-month low on a round of short-covering after posting losses in four of the previous five sessions, traders said. But the hog market remained under pressure from a seasonal slowdown in demand as the grilling season nears its end. Cattle […] Read more

CME October 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 100-day moving average (black line) and Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hogs hit 6-1/2-month low on slowing demand

Live cattle dip below 20-day moving average

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange hog futures fell to a 6-1/2-month low on Wednesday with demand for pork fading as the traditional U.S. grilling season nears its close. Cattle futures were mixed, with live cattle contracts sagging on weakness in the cash markets while feeder cattle contracts closed higher. Hog futures have fallen […] Read more


As higher protein prices hit consumers in the first half of 2022, chicken had a price advantage over beef and pork.

Chicken lords over beef with consumers

Prime Cuts with Steve Kay

Beef is still king of the meat case in U.S. grocery stores. But chicken wins hands down in per capita consumption and has done so for years. Beef is regarded as the meat treat and chicken the survival food for protein. Now that food inflation stalks grocery store aisles and talk is increasing about the […] Read more



CME October 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 40-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, brown and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hog futures firm after hitting six-week low

Chicago cattle futures weak

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange hog futures edged higher on Monday, with the market recovering after hitting its lowest in nearly six weeks on Friday, traders said. But gains were kept in check by poor exports and ample supplies of pork. Cattle futures were weaker as the market digested a report released late […] Read more

CME October 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, brown and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs slip

USDA marks surprise jump in July cattle placements

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures slipped on Friday, with the most-active contract dipping to a nearly six-week low during the session, as weak export demand continued to weigh on futures, analysts said. Meanwhile, a government report, released after the CME closed, said that far more cattle were marketed in July […] Read more


CME October 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks, right column) with 20- and 100-day moving averages (pink and brown lines) and CME cash lean hog index (black line, left column). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs fall on weak exports

Softer cash values drag on live cattle futures

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures fell on Thursday, pressured by softening wholesale pork prices and weak export demand, analysts said. “We’re going to have more supply coming at us, and that’s putting pressure on the wholesale market,” said Altin Kalo, economist at Steiner Consulting Group. CME October lean hogs fell […] Read more

CME October 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, red and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle firm, drought accelerates selling

Lean hog futures follow cash prices up

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures climbed on Wednesday, underpinned as ranchers move up placements of calves amid drought conditions across the southern U.S. Plains, analysts said. “The fall-weaned calves are starting to come through,” said Austin Schroeder, commodity analyst at Brugler Marketing. “Placements have been pushed ahead, with the drought.” […] Read more