Live cattle futures are reverting lower on Thursday, as contracts are down $1.90 to $3.77 at midday. Cash trade has started to pick up at $235 live and $370 dressed across the North so far on Thursday. The Thursday Fed Cattle Exchange online auction showed no sales on the 734 head offered, with bids at $233-234 live. Feeder cattle futures are falling $3.32 to $5.72 across the nearby contracts on Thursday. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was back down 48 cents on August 4 to $348.65.
Export Sales data from USDA showed beef sales for 2026 at 19,845 MT for the week ending on 7/30. That was a 6-week high. Shipments were tallied at 12,461 MT, which back up from last week.
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Wholesale Boxed Beef prices were mixed in the Thursday morning report. Choice boxes were down $5.10 at $362.87, with Select 97 cents higher to $349.03. USDA’s Federally inspected cattle slaughter for Wednesday was estimated at 106,000 head, with the week to date total at 306,000 head. That is up 1,000 head from the previous week but 24,532 head below the same week last year.
Aug 26 Live Cattle are at $232.275, down $1.900,
Oct 26 Live Cattle are at $225.700, down $3.775,
Dec 26 Live Cattle are at $225.250, down $3.425,
Aug 26 Feeder Cattle are at $350.000, down $3.325
Sep 26 Feeder Cattle are at $343.600, down $4.775
Oct 26 Feeder Cattle are at $333.700, down $5.725
On the date of publication, Austin Schroeder did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
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