CME February 2021 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-day moving average (black line) and CME January 2021 feeder cattle (red line). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle up on cash market optimism, beef demand

Hogs up ahead of USDA exports report

Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures rose on Wednesday for a fourth straight session, climbing ahead of Thursday’s U.S. Thanksgiving holiday as strong packer margins fed expectations of improving cash cattle prices over the next few weeks, traders said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange February live cattle futures settled up 0.225 cent at 114.175 cents/lb. (all […] Read more

CME February 2021 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-day moving average (pink line) and CME January 2021 feeder cattle (dark red line). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures follow beef prices, Dow higher

Chicago lean hogs end mixed

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle futures closed higher on Tuesday for a third straight session, lifted by surging wholesale beef prices and optimism that coronavirus vaccines could trigger an economic recovery, bolstering demand for meat, traders said. Wall Street’s Dow Jones industrial average hit a record high above 30,000 on upbeat COVID-19 vaccine news, […] Read more


CME February 2021 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures up two per cent

U.S. feedlot data, beef prices supportive

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle futures closed higher on Monday, buoyed by Friday’s supportive monthly Cattle on Feed report, rising wholesale beef prices and strength on Wall Street tied to hopes for a COVID-19 vaccine, traders said. “All of the above (suggest) optimism for the meat market,” said Jason Roose, analyst and broker with […] Read more

CME February 2021 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle, hog futures tumble on demand worries

Corn values also weigh on feeder cattle, hogs

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle and hog futures tumbled on Thursday on worries about demand for beef and pork as soaring coronavirus infections across the country threatened more restaurant and food service closures and forced more Americans to shelter at home. Investors also fear a repeat of the livestock processing disruptions seen in the […] Read more


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

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures retreat as COVID surge stokes demand worries

CME lean hog futures end mixed

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle futures fell on Wednesday as rising coronavirus infection rates stoked concerns about potential supply-chain disruptions and reduced demand for beef as health restrictions shutter restaurants and discourage travel. U.S. stocks dove on Wednesday as investors weighed surging COVID-19 infections and mounting shutdowns against encouraging vaccine developments. An April plunge […] Read more

CME February 2021 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures climb with cash market, beef prices

Lean hog futures up on short-covering

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures rose for a second straight session on Tuesday, lifted by higher cash beef prices and signs that cash cattle at feedlot auctions would trade at steady to higher prices this week. Consumer demand for beef has remained solid despite rising coronavirus infection rates that have triggered lockdowns […] Read more


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

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures up as Wall Street rallies

COVID-19 worries remain in picture

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle futures ended mostly higher on Monday on spillover support from soaring equities markets, although gains were limited by worries about rising coronavirus infections and likely restaurant closures. News of a second promising COVID-19 vaccine lifted both the S+P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average to record highs on […] Read more

CME December 2020 lean hogs with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Lean hog futures move up off one-month low

Lower corn, soy values support feeder cattle

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures rose on Thursday in a rebound from a one-month low reached in the previous session, while live cattle futures weakened. The hog market’s recovery carried futures to their highest level since Monday. Traders said the market continues to face pressure from large U.S. supplies and uncertainty over […] Read more


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

U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures gain on boxed beef strength

Lean hog futures down with slaughter pace

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures climbed on Wednesday as strength in the cash market and firm beef cutout prices continued to offer support, traders said. “We’ve had a pretty decent rally on the meat side, and I think that’s certainly been a factor,” said Altin Kalo, economist with Steiner Consulting Group. Chicago […] Read more

CME January 2021 feeder cattle with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Feeder cattle futures slump as corn prices surge

Hogs down off Monday's gains

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. feeder cattle futures ended lower on Tuesday after nearing a six-week high as soaring corn prices signaled that feed costs will increase. Live cattle futures finished near unchanged after setting a fresh four-week high, and lean hog futures weakened. Rising crop prices hung over the markets after the U.S. Department […] Read more