Cattle Current Market Update with Wes Ishmael

Cattle futures were lower Wednesday, pressured by reports that USDA was testing two calves from Texas for New World screwworm infection, as well as negative outside markets. Toward the close, Live Cattle futures were an average of $2.05 lower. Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $5.61 lower. Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was [...]

Cattle futures were higher Monday, helped along by stronger outside markets. Toward the close, Live Cattle futures were an average of $1.42 higher. Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $3.22 higher. Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was inactive on light demand in all regions through Monday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service. [...]

Cattle futures closed lower Friday, pressured by lower negotiated cash fed cattle prices, seasonally reluctant wholesale beef values, another New World screwworm case in Mexico creeping closer to the U.S. border, as well as week-end and month-end positioning. Live Cattle futures closed an average of $2.17 lower. Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of [...]

Cattle futures traded both sides Thursday but ended lower, with traders apparently awaiting this week’s negotiated cash fed direction. Toward the close, Live Cattle futures were an average of $1.00 lower. Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $1.25 lower. Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was mostly inactive on light demand in all major [...]

Cattle futures were higher Wednesday, buoyed by stronger wholesale beef values and outside markets. Toward the close, Live Cattle futures were an average of $2.61 higher. Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $4.42 higher. Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was mostly inactive on light demand in all major cattle feeding regions through Wednesday [...]

Cattle futures closed mixed to slightly higher Tuesday as traders appeared to shrug off Friday’s Cattle on Feed report, or pointing to the fact it was already adequately priced into the market. Toward the close, Live Cattle futures were an average of 44¢ higher, except for an average of 46¢ lower in three contracts. [...]

Cattle futures closed lower Friday as managed money appeared to exit positions ahead of the long weekend and in anticipation of bearish feedlot placements, which proved to be the case (see below). Live Cattle futures closed an average of 67¢ lower, except for an average of 20¢ higher in the front two contracts. Feeder [...]

Cattle futures were sharply lower Thursday with no apparent headlines for fuel. Pressure included steady to lower negotiated cash fed cattle prices, softer wholesale beef values and likely positioning ahead of Friday's Cattle on Feed report and the three-day weekend. Depending on the source, pre-report estimates are for April placement to be up 3% [...]

Cattle futures were mixed Wednesday. Feeder Cattle were likely supported by sliding Corn futures, while Live Cattle could have been pressured in part by squeamishness about Friday’s monthly Cattle on Feed report. Odds favor it showing increased feedlot placements year over year, given the likelihood of drought-driven early placements, as well as the fact [...]

Cattle futures found some footing Tuesday, helped along by higher wholesale prices. Toward the close, Live Cattle futures were an average of 79¢ higher (2¢ to $1.30 higher). Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $4.04 higher. Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was mostly inactive on light to moderate demand in all major cattle [...]

Cattle futures trended lower Monday with pressure including more bearish outside markets and the strong rebound in Corn futures. Toward the close, Live Cattle futures were an average of 89¢ lower. Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $2.43 lower (10¢ lower in spot May to $3.10 lower). Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was [...]

Cattle futures retrenched and gained Friday, boosted by the week’s higher negotiated cash fed cattle prices. Heading into the new week, there could be support from Friday’s late-day news that China appears to have opened the door to renewed beef imports from the U.S. (see below). Live Cattle futures closed an average of $1.64 [...]

Cattle futures lost momentum on Thursday, despite higher negotiated cash fed cattle prices. Toward the close, Live Cattle futures were an average of 34¢ lower, except for an average of $1.96 higher in the back two contracts. Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $2.30 lower, except for an average of 35¢ higher in [...]

Cattle futures gained traction from the recent headlines-driven decline, supported by steady to higher negotiated cash fed cattle prices. Toward the close, Live Cattle futures were an average of $3.61 higher. Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $3.45 higher, except for $1.17 lower in away May. Negotiated cash fed cattle trade ranged from [...]

Cattle futures continued lower Tuesday on wonderment about expected reduced  tariffs on beef imports. Toward the close, Live Cattle futures were an average of $2.45 lower. Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $5.94 lower. Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was mostly inactive on moderate demand in all major cattle feeding regions through Monday [...]

Cattle futures closed lower Friday. Live Cattle futures closed an average of $1.33 lower. Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $2.43 lower, except for $1.05 higher in spot May. Week to week on Friday, Cattle futures gave back much of the previous week’s gains with Live Cattle an average of $4.04 lower and [...]

Cattle futures closed lower Thursday but off session lows with no obvious driver. Toward the close, Live Cattle futures were an average of $3.25 lower. Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $5.87 lower. Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was active on very good demand in all major cattle feeding regions through Thursday afternoon, [...]

Cattle futures lost early steam Wednesday but closed narrowly mixed to higher, supported by bullish outside markets. Toward the close, Live Cattle futures were narrowly mixed, from an average of 21¢ lower to an average of 37¢ higher.  Feeder Cattle futures were an average of 69¢ higher. Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was mostly [...]

Cattle futures were higher Tuesday on fundamental strength and more bullish outside markets. Reports of early steady to higher cash fed cattle prices were also supportive. Toward the close, Live Cattle futures were an average of $2.42 higher.  Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $4.88 higher. Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was mostly [...]

Cattle futures closed lower again Monday with follow-through selling supported by more bearish outside markets.   Toward the close, Live Cattle futures were an average of $1.84 lower. Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $4.60 lower. Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was mostly inactive on light to moderate demand in all major cattle [...]

Cattle futures closed lower Friday on likely profit taking from the week’s strong gains.  Live Cattle futures closed an average of 77¢ lower. Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $1.06 lower. Week to week on Friday, Live Cattle futures closed an average of $5.81 higher. Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $10.74 [...]

Cattle futures closed mixed to higher Thursday, supported by the week’s higher cash fed cattle prices. Live Cattle futures were mixed, from an average of 50¢ lower to an average of 61¢ higher on likely profit taking. Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $1.07 higher. Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was mostly inactive [...]

Cattle futures stepped higher Monday. Toward the close, Live Cattle futures were an average of $3.11 higher. Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $5.49 higher. Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was inactive on light demand in all major cattle feeding regions through Monday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service. Last week, FOB [...]

Cattle futures continued higher Friday, perhaps with fund selling coming to an and after the recent downward correction. Live Cattle futures closed an average of $1.62 higher. Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $2.83 higher. Week to week on Friday, Live Cattle futures closed an average of 88¢ lower, except for 2¢ higher [...]

Cattle futures closed mostly higher Thursday despite the strike by workers at the Cargill beef packing plant in Fort Morgan, Colo., and with news that the Secretary of Agriculture cancelled her visit to the U.S.-Mexican border, which some had feared would feature an announced timeline for resuming Mexican feeder cattle imports. Live Cattle futures [...]