U.S. President Donald Trump's plan for a 50 per cent tariff on goods from Brazil will likely raise prices for the beef that is used in American hamburgers, traders and analysts said on Thursday, as food manufacturers increasingly rely on imports during a time of declining domestic production.
Cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange were mixed on Thursday, with fresh contract highs in the feeder cattle market while live cattle ran into resistance at their own highs to settle with small losses.
The flesh-eating livestock pest New World screwworm has advanced closer to the U.S. border with Mexico, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said, prompting Washington to block imports of Mexican cattle just days after it allowed them to resume at a port of entry in Arizona.
Chicago Mercantile Exchange feeder cattle futures extended gains to record highs on Wednesday while live cattle futures set a contract high before pulling back.
Cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange continued to set new records on Tuesday, as improving packer margins, strong demand and chart-based buying provided support. August feeder cattle futures were up by 5.400 cents per pound at 319.125 cents per pound. The August live cattle contract gained 4.075 cents per pound at 219.975 cents at
For the week ending July 4, there were no feeder cattle sales in Western Canada due to holidays on July 1 and July 4. Major auction markets in the U.S. were also closed or had limited numbers on offer. Prices quoted from south of the border were steady to $4 higher on average but the market was hard to define.
Mexico's government said on Monday that it has started to build a $51 million (C$69.8 million) facility in the country's south as part of an effort to combat screwworm, a pest that has disrupted Mexican exports of cattle to the United States.
Cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange were stronger on Monday, hitting fresh highs in the feeder market after the Independence Day weekend while live cattle lagged to the upside. August feeder cattle futures were up by 4.225 cents per pound at 313.725 cents per pound. The August live cattle contract gained 1.850 cents per