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9 clusters · 8 sources · 73 days · First seen · Last updated

U.S. cattle and hog commodity market trends

Overview

By late October 2026, cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) reached multi-month highs, driven by tight supplies and rising wholesale beef prices. December live cattle rose to 230.175 cents per pound, its highest level since mid-July. Industry experts suggest supply constraints will persist due to the time required to rebuild herds, while USDA reports show wholesale Choice boxed beef prices increasing to $374.14 per hundredweight.

Earlier in the season, the market experienced significant volatility. In mid-September, lean hog futures hit life-of-contract lows due to high US hog supplies and declining wholesale pork prices, with carcass cutouts reaching their lowest level since February 2024. During that period, cattle futures also retreated from one-month highs as traders awaited the USDA Cattle on Feed report, which was expected to show approximately 11.268 million cattle in feedlots, a 1.7% year-over-year increase.

In late August and early September, cattle and hog futures had shown upward movement, supported by oversold signals and lower corn prices. However, cash markets remained mixed; for instance, steers and heifers in Kansas sold at steady to slightly lower prices, and boxed beef prices showed divergent trends between Choice and Select cuts.

International trends continue to show tightening livestock supplies in the United Kingdom, with the AHDB forecasting declines in beef, sheep, pork, and dairy production through 2027. In Canada, pork prices in Ontario have previously reported decreases in dressed weight value.

Entities

Chicago Mercantile Exchange · USDA · United States Department of Agriculture · US Department of Agriculture · John Stewart and Associates

Timeline

  1. [BUSINESS] 2 sources
    Cattle futures reach multi-month highs amid tight supplies

    Cattle futures hit multi-month highs on the CME due to tight supplies and rising wholesale beef prices, while hog futures remained steady amid weak pork demand.

  2. [BUSINESS] 5 sources
    Livestock markets see cattle highs and lean hog volatility

    Livestock markets show diverging trends as cattle futures hit multi-month highs on tight supply, while lean hog prices struggle with weak demand and declining pork carcass values.

  3. [BUSINESS] 4 sources
    Cattle futures decline amid softening cash trades

    Cattle futures fell as cash trades softened, despite a recovery in meatpacking slaughter numbers and fluctuations in the corn market.

  4. [BUSINESS] 3 sources
    Cattle futures rise as US meatpacking slaughtering recovers

    Cattle futures increased as US meatpacking slaughter rates recovered from recent labor disruptions linked to an immigration crackdown, supported by rising boxed beef prices.

  5. [BUSINESS] 4 sources
    US cattle futures rise amid tight supplies and processing disruptions

    US cattle futures rose due to tight supplies and meatpacking disruptions in Kansas, while hog futures dipped amid declining inventories and falling pork belly stocks.

  6. [BUSINESS] 3 sources
    US hog and cattle futures fluctuate amid supply and demand shifts

    US lean hog futures hit contract lows due to high supplies and weak demand, while cattle futures retreated from recent one-month highs despite tight supplies.

  7. [BUSINESS] 3 sources
    Cattle and hog futures rise at Chicago Mercantile Exchange

    Cattle and hog futures rose at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, with live cattle and feeder cattle seeing gains amid quiet post-holiday trading and shifting pasture conditions.

  8. [BUSINESS] 5 sources
    Commodity markets see cattle and hog futures rise

    Commodity markets saw rising cattle and hog futures at the CME, while corn and wheat futures fluctuated and pork prices in Ontario saw slight decreases.

  9. [BUSINESS] 2 sources
    Cattle futures end mixed following U.S. jobs report

    Cattle and hog futures saw mixed trading following U.S. jobs data, with cattle futures ultimately rising due to technical buying and firmer beef wholesale prices.

Sources

brownfieldagnews.com · cknxnewstoday.ca · feedlotmagazine.com · meatmanagement.com · thebeefsite.com · thecattlesite.com · thepigsite.com · thepoultrysite.com

This summary has been updated 8 times: see revision history