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 …
Download PDF It is fairly typical for the pork market to be heating up in May as Memorial Day approaches, but this year seems to be different. The cutout actually declined this week, dropping $1.28/cwt. to average $100.07. The negotiated hog markets were softer too, with the WCB dropping $2.06 on its way to averaging …
Download PDF The beef market managed to stay on its upward trajectory for the second week in a row, with the Choice cutout gaining $4.89/cwt. on a weekly average basis and the Select cutout adding $6.48/cwt. The cattle market also posted gains as trade in the South was mostly $1 higher at $187 while the …
Download PDF This week’s theme in the cattle and beef complex was “better late than never”, as the cutouts rocketed higher just two weeks before the Memorial Day holiday. There was speculation that the buying was driven by packers’ announcing their intention to limit this week’s kill and that caused beef buyers to quickly jump …
Download PDF After three weeks, where it was stalled at $98, the pork cutout regained some upward momentum this week, averaging $101.35. That feat was accomplished largely due to gains in belly prices, although the hams also provided support. The surprising feature of this week’s market was that negotiated hog prices did not follow the …