Cattle futures closed higher Friday, helped along by rebounding outside markets and steady to higher cash fed cattle prices. .
Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $1.26 higher. Live Cattle futures were an average of $1.14 higher (62¢ higher at the back to $1.85 higher toward the front).
Week to week on Friday, Live Cattle futures closed an average of $2.00 lower ($1.00 to $3.62 lower). Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $1.63 lower.
Negotiated cash fed cattle trade ranged from mostly inactive on very light demand in the Southern Plains to slow on light to moderate demand elsewhere, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.
For the week, FOB live prices were steady in Kansas at $191/cwt., unevenly steady in Nebraska at $195-$195.50 and steady to $2 higher in the western Corn Belt at $195-$196. Dressed delivered prices were $305, which was steady to $5 higher in Nebraska and steady to $3 higher in the western Corn Belt. FOB live prices in the Texas Panhandle the previous week were $191-$192 in a light test.
Choice boxed beef cutout value was $4.84 lower Friday afternoon at $315.85/cwt. Select was $1.80 higher at $285.91.
Estimated total cattle slaughter last week of 617,000 head was 8,000 head more than the previous week but 4,000 head less than the same week last year. Year-to-date estimated total cattle slaughter of 30.6 million head was 1.1 million head less (-3.6%) year over year. Estimated year-to-date beef production of 26 billion pounds was 121.3 million pounds less (-0.5%).
Soybean futures were 10¢ to 13¢ higher through Aug ’26 and then mostly 7¢ to 8¢ higher, supported by short covering. Corn futures closed mostly 3¢ to 5¢ higher. Kansas City Wheat futures closed mostly fractionally higher to 1¢ higher.
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Major U.S. financial indices closed higher Friday, boosted by a tamer inflation reading.
The personal consumption expenditures price index (PCE) was 2.4% higher year over year in November, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. That was less than expected.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 498 points higher. The S&P 500 closed 63 points higher. The NASDAQ was up 196 points.
West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil futures on the CME closed 6¢ to 8¢ higher through the front six contracts.
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Markets will likely view the latest monthly Cattle on Feed report as neutral to slightly bearish.
Feedlots with 1,000 head or more capacity placed 1.8 million head in November, which was 69,000 head fewer (-3.7%) year over year. That was 0.4% more than expectations ahead of the report.
Marketings in November of 1.7 million head were 26,000 head fewer (1.5%) than the same timer a year earlier. That was just fractionally more than pre-report estimates.
Cattle on feed Dec. 1 of 12 million head were 34,000 head fewer year over year, which was slightly lower than the previous year and in line with projections ahead of the report.