(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle end mostly weaker

Chicago | Reuters — Most Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle contracts on Thursday posted modest losses after a volatile session, as investors waited for cattle in the U.S. Plains to change hands, traders said. February futures drew support from wintry weather across the western Corn Belt that threatens to disrupt livestock production. February live cattle […] Read more

(Regis Lefebure photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.S. livestock: Funds, supply worries extend CME hogs’ losses

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hogs on Wednesday finished lower for a second straight day following another round of fund liquidation, along with increased supply expectations, traders said. February, which will expire on Feb. 14, was pressured by lower market-ready, or cash, hog prices as packers try to stabilize their slipping margins. […] Read more


(Gloria Solano-Aguilar photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.S. livestock: CME hogs slump on technical selloff

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hogs closed lower on Tuesday in the wake of technical selling that largely overshadowed bullish market fundamentals, said traders. U.S. stock market volatility, after their worst ever daily point loss on Monday, kept CME livestock market traders on the defensive. Some funds that bailed out of stocks […] Read more



(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: Beef quotes send CME live cattle higher

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures on Tuesday gained after triggering buy stops, spurred by the morning’s wholesale beef price rebound, traders said. Firmer wholesale beef values stirred bull spreads, in which traders bought February futures and simultaneously sold deferred months. February live cattle finished 1.175 cents/lb. higher at 124.725 cents […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle jump on short-covering

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures surged on Wednesday on technical buying and short-covering, spurred in part by higher-than-expected prices at a weekly cattle sale, traders said. Animals at Wednesday’s Fed Cattle Exchange brought $119.75/cwt, up from $119 a week earlier (all figures US$). “I guess people thought it would be closer […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: Supply worries knock down CME feeder cattle

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange feeder cattle sank on Wednesday to a four-month low, hit by a selloff in live cattle futures as well as expectations for increased supplies, said traders. “You’ve got this cattle report coming out on Friday, and everybody says placement numbers are going to be up,” said JRS Consulting […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle halt eight-session skid

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures ended higher on Tuesday for the first session in the past nine, aided by short-covering and fund-buying, traders said. “I think that the major reason for the rally is the extreme oversold condition of the cattle futures,” said Joe Ocrant, president of Oak Investment Group. […] Read more


A bacon-wrapped pork chop. (PorkBeInspired.com)

U.S. livestock: Lower cash, pork prices pull down CME hogs

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hogs finished lower on Wednesday, pressured by weaker cash and wholesale pork prices, said traders. Fund liquidation further weighed on the market, they said. December hogs, which will expire on Dec. 14, ended down 0.45 cent/lb. at 63.825 cents (all figures US$). Most actively-traded February closed 1.55 […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME feeder cattle down on fund selloff

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange feeder cattle futures on Tuesday were led lower by fund liquidation after contracts slipped beneath chart support levels, said traders. CME live cattle market selling, and as much as $5/cwt lower cash feeder cattle prices, pressured the market, they said (all figures US$). January feeder cattle closed 2.125 […] Read more