(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: Cattle surge to contract highs on higher cash prices

Chicago | Reuters –– U.S. live cattle and feeder cattle futures contracts surged to lifetime peaks on Monday, boosted by unexpectedly high-priced sales in cash cattle markets that occurred after the futures close on Friday, traders said. Cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange surpassed Friday’s highs when trade resumed on Monday and some contracts

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle rise on firmer cash price expectations

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange nearby live cattle contracts on Friday gained for a second straight day, guided by expectations for steady-to-higher cash prices by late Friday, traders said. October live cattle, which expire on Oct. 31, finished 1.225 cents/lb. higher at 115.375 cents (all figures US$). Most actively traded December closed up





(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: Cash price optimism buoys CME live cattle

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle closed sharply higher on Tuesday, spurred by short-covering in anticipation of steady-to-better cash prices later this week, said traders. Fund buying contributed to advances after some contracts topped technical resistance levels on their way to new highs. October live cattle, which will expire on Oct. 31,

(Gloria Solano-Aguilar photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.S. livestock: Profit-taking, cash prices drop CME hogs

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hogs closed lower on Monday, pressured by profit-taking following the morning’s cash price drop, traders said. December hogs finished 1.325 cents/lb. lower at 63.525 cents, and February ended 0.875 cent lower at 68.225 cents (all figures US$). Some investors sold futures after analysts predicted a 480,000-plus head


(USDA.gov via Flickr)

U.S. September cattle placements surge

Chicago | Reuters — Ranchers in September drove 13.5 per cent more cattle into U.S. feedlots than the same month a year earlier, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported on Friday. The result topped analysts’ average forecasts and hit its highest level for the month in six years. “The good news for the consumer is



(Gloria Solano-Aguilar photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.S. livestock: CME hogs hit two-month high

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures rose on Thursday, hitting their highest level in two months led by steadily climbing prices for market-ready, or cash, hogs as packers competed for supplies, said traders. December hogs finished 0.5 cent/lb. higher at 64.250 cents, and February ended 0.475 cent higher at 68.475 cent

Photo: iStock

U.S. livestock: Strong cash prices lift CME hogs

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hogs on Wednesday shrugged off some of Tuesday’s declines, helped by short-covering and rising prices for slaughter-ready, or cash, hogs, said traders. December futures led advances after investors bought that contract and simultaneously sold deferred months in a trading strategy known as bull spreads. Fund buying developed