(Regis Lefebure photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.S. livestock: Lower cash prices again send CME hogs to six-year low

Chicago | Reuters –– Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog contracts drifted to a six-year low for a second straight day on Friday as plentiful seasonal supplies pulled prices for market-ready (cash) hogs lower, traders said. Spot December finished 0.4 cent/lb. lower at 55 cents, and February ended down 0.3 cent at 58.3 cents. Cash hog […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: CME cattle futures fall third straight session

Chicago | Reuters –– Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures lost ground for a third consecutive session on Thursday, pressured by slack wholesale beef demand and preliminary cash price weakness, traders said. Spot December finished at 134.4 cents/lb., down 2.825 cents, and February 2.75 cents lower at 136.9 (all figures US$). On Thursday, packers in […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle futures slump by 3-cents price limit

Chicago/Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures settled down by their 3-cents per lb daily price limit on Wednesday, in anticipation of weaker prices for market-ready, or cash cattle, traders said. Spot December and February finished at 137.225 and 139.650 cents per lb, respectively. Live cattle’s trading limit will be expanded to 4.5 cents on […] Read more


U.S. livestock: Drop in beef prices weighs on CME live cattle futures

Chicago/Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures fell on Tuesday, weakened by lower wholesale beef prices that could pressure cash values later this week, traders said. Spot December closed 1.450 cents per lb lower at 140.225 cents, and February 1.050 cents lower at 142.650 cents. Tuesday morning’s wholesale choice beef price sagged 61 cents […] Read more

Klassen: Feeder market stronger but volatile

Klassen: Feeder market stronger but volatile

The Western Canadian feeder cattle market appeared to gain momentum this week.  Feeder cattle prices were extremely volatile compared to last week trading $5 lower to as much as $10 higher in the Eastern Regions.  When April live cattle futures were higher, the bids flowed more aggressively but on days when the futures struggled, buyers […] Read more


U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures end mostly firm; hogs weaker

Chicago/Reuters – Most live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange gained modestly on Monday, with December pulled down by its premium to last week’s prices for market-ready, or cash, cattle, traders said. They added that funds sold the CME live cattle and lean hog December contracts, and simultaneously bought deferred trading months, in advance of […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures slide on final trading session

Chicago / Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle ended lower on Friday, the last trading session of the month, with pressure from uneasiness about remaining prices for remaining market-ready, or cash, cattle by late Friday evening, traders said. Spot October, which expired at noon CDT (1700 GMT), settled 0.875 cents per cwt lower at 139.250 […] Read more


U.S. livestock: Steep drop in pork belly prices sink CME lean hog futures

Chicago / Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures ended lower on Thursday, pressured by downward-trending cash and wholesale pork prices, traders said. December closed down 1.525 cents per lb to 59.875 cents, and February was 1.500 cents lower at 63.000. Cash hog prices in the Iowa/Minnesota hog market on Thursday afternoon sagged $1.25 […] Read more

Photo: File

U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures rally by 3-cents/lb price limit

Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures settled up by their 3-cents per lb daily price limit on Wednesday, boosted by short-covering in response to improved wholesale beef demand and Tuesday’s better-than-expected preliminary cash prices, traders said. Spot October and December ended at 139.675 and 143.600 cents per lb. Live cattle’s trading limit […] Read more