WLI

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was at a standstill in the Texas Panhandle and Colorado through Thursday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service. Elsewhere, trade was limited on light demand with too few transactions to trend.

So far this week, live prices in the Texas Panhandle are $1-$2 lower than last week in the Southern Plains at $118-$119/cwt., $2-$4 lower in the Northern Plains at $119-$120 and $1-$4 lower in the western Corn Belt at $119. Dressed trade is $1-$4 lower in Nebraska at $188-$191 and $1-$2 lower in the western Corn Belt at $191-$192.

Another day of softer Corn futures prices, after the front of the board, helped Cattle futures mostly extend gains on Thursday.

Live Cattle futures closed an average of 45¢ higher, except for an average of 14¢ lower in three contracts.

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of 72¢ higher.

Corn futures closed fractionally lower to 5¢ lower, except for 15¢ and 4¢ higher in the front two contracts.

Soybean futures closed 8¢ to 15¢ lower through Jan ‘22, and then mostly 2¢ lower.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed higher Thursday, boosted by mostly positive economic new that included tech giant, Facebook, smashing quarterly revenue estimates and McDonald’s reporting sales higher than before the pandemic.

As well, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis reported real gross domestic product increased at an annual rate of 6.4% in the first quarter of this year, reflecting continued economic recovery, reopening of establishments, and continued government response related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Initial weekly unemployment insurance claims were slightly more than anticipated, though. For the week and Apr. 24, claims were 553,000, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 239 points higher. The S&P 500 closed 28 points higher. The NASDAQ was up 31 points.

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Net U.S. beef export sales for 2021 were 23,600 metric tons the week ending Apr. 22, according to weekly U.S. Export Sales report. That was down 4% from the previous week, but up 22% from the prior four-week average. Increases were primarily for South Korea, Japan, Mexico, China, and Hong Kong. 

Since 2000, beef exports accounted for about 9% of U.S. production, while beef imports represented about 11%, according to USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS).

“U.S. beef trade is largely dependent on domestic production, and shocks to production can lead to a boost in import demand and a reduction in supplies available for export,” say ERS analysts.

For illustration those analysts point to the 2003 discovery of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in Canada and then in the United States. U.S. beef exports plummeted. At the same time, U.S. beef imports grew to record high levels in 2004 and 2005. The latter had to do with the fact there were more cattle to slaughter here, in need of more lean trim from outside the country, in order to maximize value.

More recently, of course, weekly beef production plunged as much as 34% year over year in the second quarter of last year as the pandemic forced temporary closures and reduced operations at processing facilities. Consumer beef purchasing patterns shifted dramatically toward retail.

ERS projects U.S. beef exports to grow as a percent of production this year, while imports are expected to decline.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was moderate on moderate demand in the Texas Panhandle and Nebraska through Wednesday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

Live prices in the Texas Panhandle were $1-$2 lower than last week at $118-$119/cwt.

Live sales in Nebraska were $2-$3 lower at $119-$120. Dressed trade was $1-$4 lower at $188-$191.

Elsewhere, trade was slow on light demand, with too few transactions to trend.

So far this week, live sales in Kansas are $2 lower at $118-$119 and $3-$4 lower in Colorado at $119.

In the western Corn Belt last week, live prices were at $120-$123 and dressed prices were at $192.

Cattle feeders offered 3,231 head (19 lots) in Central Stockyards’ weekly Fed Cattle Exchange auction. Of those, just 287 head (three lots) sold, all from Texas and all on a live-weight basis. The price was $119/cwt. for two lots of steers and $117.75 for a lot of heifers.

Lower cash prices and less packer processing than expected recently helped pressure Cattle futures Wednesday, despite softer Corn futures and oversold conditions.

Live Cattle futures closed an average of $1.04 lower, except for 57¢ higher in spot Apr.

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $1.25 lower, from 32¢ lower at the front to $1.72 lower at the back.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $1.51 higher Wednesday afternoon at $292.50/cwt. Select was 53¢ lower at $279.00

Corn futures closed 9¢ to 15¢ lower through Sep ‘22 and then 4¢ to 6¢ lower.

Soybean futures closed mostly 13¢ to 14¢ lower through Aug ‘22, except for 15¢  higher in spot May, and then mostly 7¢ lower.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed lower Wednesday. Primary pressure seemed linked to inflation worries, with the Federal Reserve issuing a statement that it will maintain the current lending rate and its accommodative monetary stance as the nation’s the economy and employment strengthen.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 164 points lower. The S&P 500 closed 3 points lower. The NASDAQ was down 39 points.

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“A year since COVID-19 changed how we live, work and shop, online grocery demonstrates continued strength and impressive staying power,” says David Bishop, partner, Brick Meets Click. “The monthly active user base remains robust, average order values are at similarly elevated levels and order frequency has gone up.”

There were $9.3 billion in online grocery market sales during March, with 69 million households placing an average of 2.8 online orders, according to the Brick Meets Click/Mercatus Grocery Shopping Survey. Sales were 43% more year over year.

“Over the last 12 months, consumers’ dramatic shift to online grocery shopping has solidified, with curbside pickup attracting the largest share of monthly shoppers at 53% compared to ship-to-home and delivery,” explains Sylvain Perrier, Mercatus president and CEO. “In fact, pickup continues to have stronger consumer demand across all market types compared to delivery. Those brick-and-mortar chains that invested in optimizing pickup services likely will continue to benefit from the high repeat intent rate as indicated in the data.”

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade ranged from mostly inactive on very light demand to a standstill through Tuesday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

Feeder Cattle futures closed mixed across a broad range Tuesday, helped along by a day of respite from rising new-crop Corn futures. Live Cattle softened as traders await cash direction.

Live Cattle futures closed an average of 39¢ lower, except for 15¢ higher in the back contract.

Feeder Cattle futures closed mixed, from an average of 51¢ higher in five contracts (10¢ to $1.45 higher) to an average of 57¢ lower (7¢ to $1.40 lower).

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $5.79 higher at $290.99/cwt. Select was $5.18 higher at $279.53

Corn futures closed mostly 3¢ to 7¢ lower, expect for 15¢ higher in spot May and 2¢ higher in back contracts.

Soybean futures closed 18¢ to 19¢ lower through the front six contracts and then 6¢ to 16¢ lower.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed narrowly mixed Tuesday.

Positive economic news included The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index^®rising 12 points month to month to 121.7 in April.

“Consumer confidence has rebounded sharply over the last two months and is now at its highest level since February 2020,” says Lynn Franco, Senior Director of Economic Indicators at The Conference Board.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 3 points higher. The S&P 500 closed fractionally lower. The NASDAQ down 48 points.

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Snugger beef supplies in cold storage are supporting the rise in wholesale prices.

Total pounds of beef in freezers Mar. 31 were 5.6% less than the previous month and 3.7% less than the previous year, according to the latest USDA Cold Storage report.

Specifically, analysts with the Livestock Marketing Information Center (LMIC) point out total beef in cold storage declined by 483.7 million lbs. month to month.

“Both boneless beef and beef cuts fell 3.4% and 8.5%, respectively, from last year to 451.3 and 32.3 million lbs.,” say LMIC analysts, in the latest Livestock Monitor. They note boxed beef cutout value rose $66.69/cwt. (+32.3%) from the start of the year to mid-April, when it was $274.42/cwt.

Total pork in cold storage was 6.5% less than the previous month and 26.8% less year over year. LMIC analysts add the 451.8 million lbs. of pork in cold storage was 26.0% less than the five-year average.

Total red meat in cold storage of 969.3 million lbs. was 62.3 million lbs. less (-6.0%) than the previous month and 192.7 million lbs. less year over year (-16.6%).

Total frozen poultry supplies in cold storage of 1.1 billion lbs. were 1.2 million lbs. more than the previous month (+0.1%), but 217.6 million lbs. less (-16.6%) year over year.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade ranged from mostly inactive on very light demand to a standstill through Monday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

Live prices last week ranged from $118-$120 in the Southern Plains to $121 in the Northern Plains  to $120-$122 in the western Corn Belt. Dressed trade was $2-$4 lower at $192.

The five-area direct fed steer price was 67¢ lower on a live basis last week at $121.36/cwt. The average steer price in the beef was $3.43 lower at $192.11.

Cattle futures closed mixed Monday as another surge in Corn futures weighed on Feeder Cattle.

Live Cattle futures closed an average of 69¢ higher (35¢ to $1.10 higher).

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of 39¢ lower (15¢ to $1.10 lower), except for an average of 31¢ higher in two contracts.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $1.43 higher Monday afternoon at $285.20/cwt. Select was $2.22 higher at $274.35

Total estimated cattle slaughter last week of 665,000 head was 20,000 head more than the previous week, according to USDA. Total estimated beef production was 20 million lbs. more at 550.2 million lbs.

Corn futures closed 15¢ to limit up 25¢ higher through Jly ‘22, and then mostly 8¢ to 9¢ higher.

Soybean futures closed mostly 21¢ to 26¢ higher.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed mixed Monday, with investors awaiting one of the busiest weeks of the season for quarterly corporate earnings reports.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 61 points lower. The S&P 500 closed 7 points higher. The NASDAQ was up 121 points.

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“Fed cattle prices have been disappointingly stagnant thus far in 2021, largely under the pressure of ample feedlot supplies,” says Derrell Peel, Extension livestock marketing specialist at Oklahoma State University, in his weekly market comments. “Fed cattle price improvement is expected in the second half of the year but progress has been slower than expected due to residual effects of pandemic disruptions and the February winter storm. Fed prices are expected to be higher year over year for the remainder of the year, mostly when compared to pandemic-reduced prices last year, but also due to improving fed cattle market fundamentals as the year progresses.”

Relative to the cattle cycle, Peel explains pandemic impacts extended the pipeline of cattle supplies, delaying the reduction of fed cattle numbers last year and pushing more cattle into the first half of 2021.

“While feedlot inventories dropped seasonally in March and April, it may be into the second half of the year before feedlot inventories drop cyclically below year earlier levels,” Peel says.

Reflecting on Friday Cattle on Feed report, Peel points out numbers are less than two years earlier. More specifically, he says the Apr. 1 feedlot inventory is 0.5% less than in 2019, March feedlot placements were 0.8% less and March feedlot marketings were 14.8% more than the same time in 2019.

“The March placement total likely did include some increase in placements pushed into March by the February winter storm. Nevertheless, the placement total was not only smaller than pre-report expectations but was somewhat bullish in an absolute sense,” Peel says.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was mostly inactive on very light demand in all major cattle feeding regions through Friday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

Live prices last week ranged from steady to $2 lower in the Southern Plains at $118-$120/cwt. to $1-$5 lower in the Northern Plains at $121; steady to $4 lower in the western Corn Belt at $120-$122. Dressed trade was $2-$4 lower at $192.

Cattle futures closed higher Friday, supported by oversold conditions and a reprieve from another day of higher corn prices.

Live Cattle futures closed an average of 67¢ higher (12¢ to 92¢ higher), except for 47¢ and 12¢ lower in the front two contracts.

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $1.42 higher (65¢ to $1.67 higher).

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $1.46 higher at $283.77/cwt. Select was $1.56 lower at $272.13

Corn futures closed 1¢ to 4¢ lower, except for 5¢ and 1¢ higher in the front two contracts.

Soybean futures closed 1¢ to 6¢ higher through Nov ‘22, and then fractionally lower to 2¢ lower.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed higher Friday, amid mainly positive economic news, and as investors took a more measured view of reports that President Biden will seek an increase in capital gains taxes.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 227 points higher. The S&P 500 closed 45 points higher.

The NASDAQ up 198 points.

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Logic suggests markets will view the monthly Cattle on Feed report as neutral to hopefully friendly, with placements significantly less than the average of analysts expectations.

Feedlots with 1,000 head or more capacity placed 2.0 million head in March, which was 440,00 head more (+28.26%) than the previous year’s paltry placements, due to the pandemic. Placements were 5.5% less than expectations.

In terms of placement weights: 36.5% went on feed weighing 699 lbs. or less; 51.6% weighed 700-899 lbs.; 11.75% weighed 900 lbs. or more.

Marketings in March of 2.04 million head were 1.49% more year over year, which was in line with expectations. The total was the second most for the month since the data series began in 1996, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

There were 11.9 million head on feed Apr. 1, which was 600,000 head more (+5.31%) than last year; the second most for the month since the data series began. That was 0.8% less than analysts expected. The number of heifers and heifer calves on feed were 7% more than the previous year.