Download PDF Packer margins came under pressure this week as the cutout dropped and cash hog prices were a little higher. On a weekly average basis, the cutout was down $2.01 to $96.29 while the NDD negotiated market was $1.06 higher to $88.54. That left packer margins at only $5/head—a three-dollar drop from the week …
Download PDF Wholesale beef prices continued to claw higher this week, with the Choice cutout adding $2.32 to average $323.71 for the week and the Select cutout gaining $0.02 to average $303.98. Volumes transacted in the negotiated market were down considerably from the week before, so gain in prices may be more a function of …
Download PDF The pork cutout went on the defensive this week as price weakness in the bellies and loins helped the cutout lose $1.99 on a weekly average basis in moving to $98.30. Cash hog markets were mostly steady as the WCB negotiated price lost only $0.20/cwt. on its way to averaging $87.54. That caused …
Download PDF Last week cash cattle prices in the North exploded higher and this week it was the South’s turn to experience sharply higher prices. Trade happened late on Friday in both regions, but it looks like the bulk of the Southern trade happened at $189-190, up $3-4 over last week. In the North, live …
Download PDF Stagnant continues to be the best description of the price action in the hog and pork complex. The cutout lost $0.53 on a weekly average basis in moving to $100.29 and the NDD negotiated market added only $0.20 this week. The lean hog index averaged $0.40 lower on the week and settlement on …
Download PDF The cash cattle market in the North caught fire this week, with live trades reported in the $195-196 range, which is up $5-6 from last week’s trade in that region. The price advance was more muted in the South, where the majority of trades occurred at $186, up $1 from the week before. …
Download PDF Cash hog markets remained dead in the water this week, with negotiated hogs in the National Direct market averaging $87.43, down $0.36 from last week’s average. The cutout didn’t fare any better, down $1.77 on a weekly average basis to $100.82. As a result, packer margins compressed back down to $10/head from about …
Download PDF The beef markets were able to add to last week’s gains, with the Choice cutout up $2.80 to average $316.05 and the Select cutout down $0.33 to average $302.21. Sure, this week’s gains were small, but they helped mitigate the fears that beef demand would come tumbling down after the Memorial Day holiday. …
Download PDF Cash hog prices were dead in the water this week as the NDD market only added $0.31 on its way to averaging $87.79 for the week. The cutout, however, showed some signs of life gaining $2.51 to average $102.59. The upward movement in the cutout was driven primarily by the hams and, to …
Download PDF The cattle market took a turn lower this week as trade in the South was established at $186, down $1 from last week and live trade in the North was close to $190, which was down $2-3 from the week before. That should put the five-area average at close to $188 for the …