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Klassen: Feeder cattle market volatility continues

Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded steady to $5 higher on average. For the second week in a row, the markets were quite variable across the Prairies but shorter-keep yearlings appeared to lead the charge higher. In Alberta, quality 900-lb. steers were once again touching the $190 level and 800-lb.-plus steers […] Read more

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

U.S. livestock: CME cattle, hogs mixed on trade detail uncertainty

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures slipped on Tuesday, as uncertainty about details from the U.S.-China “Phase 1” trade agreement continued to make the market nervous, brokers said. Meanwhile, Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) live and feeder cattle futures continued to consolidate after Friday’s big price rally in the wake of the trade agreement news. […] Read more


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

U.S. livestock: CME cattle, hogs relatively steady on trade deal hopes

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle futures remained relatively steady on Monday but funds continued to hold their long positions in anticipation of a surge of demand for U.S. meat after the U.S.-China “Phase 1” trade agreement is finalized, traders said. U.S. lean hog futures inched upward, rising for a third session on the same […] Read more

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

U.S. livestock: CME hogs, cattle climb on China trade news

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures rose on Friday on hopes that a “phase one” trade agreement announced by Washington and Beijing would stimulate Chinese purchases of U.S. pork, but prices pared gains as traders struggled with uncertainty about the specifics. As part of the agreement, Beijing committed to buy an additional $32 […] Read more


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

U.S. livestock: Hogs firm on fresh hopes for China trade pact

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures closed higher on Thursday on rekindled hopes for a U.S. trade deal with China, the world’s top pork consumer, traders said. Recent strength in cash hog markets added support, although prices in the closely watched Iowa and southern Minnesota market fell on Thursday afternoon after rising in […] Read more



(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder cattle market under weight of imports

Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $5 lower to $2 higher. It’s that time of year when most feedlots are carrying sufficient numbers and buyers are hesitant to increase ownership unless they can see profitability. Auction market volumes contained weaned and unweaned calves over the past week; premiums returned for feeders […] Read more

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

U.S. livestock: Plentiful supply pressures CME hogs

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures fell on Monday in a turnaround from a two-week high last week, as large inventories pressured prices. Meat packers slaughtered an estimated 496,000 pigs, up from 475,000 a year ago, putting extra pork on the market. U.S. hog supplies are large after farmers expanded their herds to supply […] Read more


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

U.S. livestock: Hog futures fall after weak export sales report

Reading Time: < 1 minute Chicago | Reuters — CME Group hog futures eased on Thursday, pressured by a bearish pork export sales report, traders said. Cattle contracts were mixed, with live cattle rising on technical buying while feeder cattle eased. The U.S. Agriculture Department on Thursday morning said that weekly export sales of pork came in at a four-week […] Read more