Live Cattle Market Sees Gains Amid Uneven Wholesale Prices
Key Trade Figures Highlight Mixed Trends in Beef Sales
Live cattle futures experienced gains of 30 to 65 cents at midday on Friday. The cash trade began on Wednesday, with sales reported between $188 and $190 across the United States. Feeder cattle also rose, gaining $1.05 to $1.75 on most contracts. Additionally, the CME Feeder Cattle Index increased by 23 cents, reaching $255.94 as of November 26.
The latest Export Sales data revealed that 4,846 metric tons (MT) of beef for 2024 were sold in the week ending November 21, marking a low for the calendar year. An additional 5,042 MT was committed for shipment in 2025. Meanwhile, total shipments reached 14,536 MT, which is the highest in three weeks. South Korea emerged as the largest destination, purchasing 4,900 MT, followed by Japan with 3,300 MT.
According to the USDA’s wholesale Boxed Beef report released Friday morning, prices showed mixed results. The price for Choice boxes decreased by 4 cents to $311.22 per hundredweight (cwt). In contrast, Select boxes increased by $1.60, bringing the price to $275.90. Consequently, the spread between Choice and Select narrowed to $35.32. The USDA estimated that on Wednesday, 124,000 head of cattle were federally inspected for slaughter, totaling 370,000 head for the week. This reflects a decline of 1,000 head from the previous week and a drop of 6,872 head compared to the same week last year.
Dec 24 Live Cattle are priced at $188.325, up $0.325.
Feb 25 Live Cattle are priced at $188.925, up $0.325.
Apr 25 Live Cattle are priced at $191.075, up $0.650.
Jan 25 Feeder Cattle are priced at $259.825, up $1.050.
Mar 25 Feeder Cattle are priced at $259.025, up $1.725.
Apr 25 Feeder Cattle are priced at $260.100, up $1.700.
On the date of publication, Austin Schroeder did not hold positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article are for informational purposes only. For more information, please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
