Cattle futures end mixed following U.S. jobs report

Cattle futures experienced mixed trading on Friday as investors reacted to U.S. employment data showing unexpected job losses in July and downward revisions to previous months. While markets were volatile throughout the day, cattle futures ultimately saw slight increases due to technical buying and short-covering.

Beef wholesale prices showed strength, with the USDA pricing choice cuts at $364.22 per hundredweight and select cuts at $351.13 per hundredweight. Hog futures ended with mixed results; the USDA pork carcass cutout rose to $101.45 per hundredweight, while August lean hog futures remained unchanged.