Piglets look out from a fence at Cabanas Argentinas del Sol pig farm in Marcos Paz, southwest of Buenos Aires in December 2008.  Photo: Reuters/Enrique Marcarian

Argentina nears China hog deal it hopes could turbocharge local pork production

Buenos Aires | Beijing | Reuters – Argentina is nearing an initial agreement with China that could pave for the way for potential investments by the Asian giant in local pork production for export, Argentina’s undersecretary of trade and investment promotion told Reuters. That could eventually lead to Chinese-backed hog farms in the South American […] Read more


CME August 2020 live cattle with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures gain, fall short on the week

Lean hogs slip after three days' gains

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures gained on Friday, after four consecutive days of declines, as traders anticipated the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s monthly Cattle on Feed report. Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) August live cattle futures settled up 0.475 cent at 101.325 cents/lb. and October live cattle added 0.5 cent to close at […] Read more

CME October 2020 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures ease, demand picture foggy

Hogs up on firmer cash, pork prices

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures fell again Thursday, the fourth consecutive step back after reaching a high not seen since early March. “The rally last week was kind of counter-seasonal. You typically don’t rally the cattle in late July, early August, in the dog days of summer,” said Jeff French, an analyst […] Read more


CME August 2020 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle continue lower on unclear outlook

'Hard hill to climb' expected for lean hogs

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures closed lower on Wednesday as uncertainty about demand lingers, while dry conditions in the U.S. West have analysts worried about an influx of market-ready cattle in the coming weeks. “You look at pasture range and it is deteriorating very quickly,” said Ted Seifried, chief ag market strategist […] Read more

CME October 2020 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle pull back on demand uncertainty

CME lean hogs strengthen

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures closed lower on Tuesday for a second consecutive session after key contracts reached more-than-four-month highs last week as processors continued to cut into a surplus of market-ready cattle, traders said. Concerns about a piecemeal economic reopening as coronavirus cases flare up across the United States have traders […] Read more


CME August 2020 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle backslide amid cautious slaughter improvements

Lean hogs down on supply backlog

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures closed lower on Monday, pulling back after a rally last week on signs that meatpackers may be working through backlogs of market-ready cattle, traders said. Although slaughter rates have returned to pre-coronavirus levels, cattle remain heavier after backing up in feedlots when processing plants closed this spring […] Read more

CME August 2020 live cattle with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle end steady to firmer

Lean hogs dip after weekly advances

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures closed steady to firm on Friday, stabilizing after a two-session rally attributed to speculative buying and signs that meat packers may have worked through much of a backlog of market-ready cattle, traders said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) August live cattle futures settled unchanged at 103.275 cents/lb. and […] Read more


CME October 2020 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures hit four-month top

Lean hogs up on export news

Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) rose on Thursday to four-month highs as steady to firmer cash cattle prices signaled that meat packers may have largely worked through a backlog of market-ready cattle that built up this spring, traders said. CME August live cattle futures settled up 1.975 […] Read more

CME August 2020 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle up with cash values, technical buying

CME lean hog contracts mixed

Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) closed higher on Wednesday, led by the nearby August contract on signs of firmer cash cattle prices and technical buying, traders said. Market-ready cattle traded in the cash market at $95-$97/cwt in the southern Plains, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported, after […] Read more