Australian store cattle prices expected to rise despite US trade shifts

Australian store cattle prices are projected to exceed 700 cents per kilogram, remaining resilient despite international trade shifts. Experts suggest that while the US decision to allow 300,000 tonnes of tariff-free foreign lean beef trimmings for 90 days may create pricing pressure for slaughter cattle, store cattle prices are being driven by domestic factors such as rainfall and improving seasonal conditions.

StoneX broker Ripley Atkinson noted that increased supply from South American countries like Brazil into the US market could force Australian lean trimmings to remain highly competitive. Additionally, Rabobank analyst Angus Gidley-Baird observed that while some beef product prices have corrected from their April highs, demand in the US remains strong, and upcoming quota resets in South Korea and China may influence the market later in the year.