U.S. livestock: Drops in cash, beef prices topple CME live cattle futures

Chicago/Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures at one point on Friday matched their 15-month low, responding to slumping prices for wholesale beef and market-ready, or cash, cattle, traders said. Spot-October closed down 2.350 cents per lb to 140.600 cents, and December was 2.325 cents lower at 142.375 cents. This week, cash cattle in […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle fade with cash price hopes

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle posted modest losses on Thursday in anticipation of possibly lower prices for market-ready, or cash, cattle on Friday, traders said. Spot-October closed down 0.025 cent/lb. to 142.95 cents, and December 0.375 cent lower at 144.7 (all figures US$). Cash bids in Nebraska surfaced at $139-$140/cwt against […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: Profit-taking trims CME live cattle gains

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle closed lower on Wednesday, after profit-taking and cash price uncertainty turned back initial advances, traders said. Spot-October closed 0.5 cent/lb. lower at 142.975 cents, and December dropped 0.7 cent to 145.075 (all figures US$). Packers have not bid for market-ready (cash) cattle priced at $146/cwt in […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: Cash price sentiments extend CME live cattle gains

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures closed higher for a second straight session on Friday in anticipation of this week’s cash prices, traders said. Spot-August futures, which will expire on Monday, ended 1.875 cents/lb. higher at 146.525 cents, and October up 1.425 cents, at 143.975 cents (all figures US$). “Feedyards and […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: Wall Street surge rallies CME live cattle

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures rose on Thursday, prodded by the stock market comeback as data showed better-than-expected second-quarter U.S. economic growth, traders said. Renewed consumer confidence in the economy could support demand for U.S. goods, including meat, they said. Short-covering and bargain hunting furthered CME live cattle market advances […] Read more



(Scott Bauer photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.S. livestock: Hogs hit two-month high on export hopes

Chicago | Reuters –– U.S. lean hog prices jumped two per cent to the highest in more than two months on Tuesday, extending steep gains from the previous session on hopes of increased export demand, especially to China, traders and analysts said. Expectations that prices may have reached their seasonal bottom also prompted speculative buying […] Read more




(Canada Beef Inc. photo)

U.S. livestock: Economic fears slam CME live cattle, hogs

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures closed sharply lower on Friday as global economic turmoil sparked fears of a U.S. meat export slowdown, traders and analysts said. Spot-August futures closed 1.05 cents/lb. lower at 145.425 cents, and October 2.475 cents lower at 143.85 cents (all figures US$). “The elephant in the […] Read more