Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures eased on Tuesday, as higher input costs could lead to near-term selling of cattle as producers are resistant to paying higher feed costs, traders said. “You’ve got your cost of gains climbing and climbing,” said Scott Varilek, broker at Kooima Kooima Varilek Trading Inc. “Could be some […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Live cattle ease on higher grain costs
Feeder cattle, lean hogs mixed

U.S. grains: Corn nears eight-year high on tight supplies
Wheat, soybeans at 2013 peak
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago corn futures climbed on Monday to their highest since June 2013 as concerns about South American supplies buoyed the market. Strength in corn pulled wheat and soybeans to eight-year highs. Chicago Board of Trade most-active July corn ended limit up at $6.57-1/2 per bushel (all figures US$). July soybeans gained […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures climb on USDA report
Lean hog futures' gains continue
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures gained on Monday, supported by Friday’s monthly Cattle on Feed report that showed smaller-than-expected placements, traders said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange June live cattle futures settled 0.55 cent higher at 116.275 cents/lb. while the August contract ended 1.1 cents higher at 117.95 cents (all figures US$). “It wasn’t […] Read more

U.S. grains: Corn eases after WASDE report
Wheat futures firm on tight stocks; soybeans fall on South American production
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago corn ended lower on Friday after the U.S. Department of Agriculture assessed global supply and demand within analyst estimates. Wheat strengthened as global supply shrank on Chinese feed consumption, while soybeans eased on larger stocks in South America. The most active corn contract on the Chicago Board of Trade ended […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Live cattle ease after week of rising cash cattle, beef prices
Lean hog futures continue higher
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange eased on Friday, as basis between cash cattle and futures narrowed, analysts said. “We had some profit taking, because the cash market finally surged higher,” said Cassie Fish, analyst and author at the blog, The Beef. Cash cattle traded as high as […] Read more

U.S. grains: Corn climbs on exports, ethanol
Dry weather expected to slow U.S. spring wheat seeding; soy steady ahead of WASDE
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures climbed on Thursday on export optimism and positioning ahead of the U.S. Agriculture Department’s monthly supply and demand report, out on Friday, traders said. Wheat gained as frigid temperatures across Europe and the Black Sea region threatened crops. Soybeans were also firmer. The most-active corn contract on the […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Lean hogs strengthen on strong demand, firm exports
Live cattle down despite beef, cash strength
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange climbed higher on Thursday as tight supply and firm export demand offered support, analysts said. “A lot of that has to do with COVID and the pent-up demand we have, with more things opening up,” said Joe Kooima, commodity broker at Kooima […] Read more

U.S. grains: Wheat lifted on spring planting concerns
Near-term tightness in world supply underpins soy, corn
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago wheat futures gained on Wednesday, following the Minneapolis Grain Exchange’s hard red spring wheat higher on concerns that dryness across the U.S. Great Plains could affect spring wheat plantings. Chicago corn gained ahead of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s monthly supply and demand report on Friday, which is expected to […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Lean hogs gain as swine fever worries open up export markets
Boxed beef values lift live cattle futures
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange jumped higher on Wednesday on fears of African swine fever rising across parts of Asia, as well as tight domestic supply as the U.S. rebuilds its hog herd after culling during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, analysts said. The Philippines reduced […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Live cattle up with consumer beef demand
Demand, cash prices also support hogs
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange climbed higher on Tuesday, supported by strong consumer beef demand and a firming cash beef market, analysts said. “The demand for protein is strong,” said Altin Kalo, economist at Steiner Consulting Group. It’s people getting ready for the spring and restaurants opening […] Read more