Cattle futures were narrowly mixed Friday, awaiting the week’s cash fed cattle direction and likely positioning ahead of Friday’s monthly Cattle on Feed report.
Toward the close, Live Cattle futures were an average of 18¢ lower, except for unchanged to an average of 3¢ higher in three contracts.
Feeder Cattle futures were an average of 41¢ higher, except for unchanged in one contract.
Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was inactive on light to moderate demand through Thursday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.
Last week, FOB live prices were $233/cwt. in Kansas, mostly $233 in Nebraska and mostly $232 in the western Corn Belt. Dressed delivered prices were mostly $365 in Nebraska and $363-$365 in the western Corn Belt.
Choice boxed beef cutout value was $1.34 higher Thursday afternoon at $367.45/cwt. Select was 72¢ lower at $361.73.
Grain and Soybean futures firmed Thursday, led by Kansas City Wheat, with likely weather premium for the massive and frigid winter storm predicted for much of the country.
Toward the close, through near Sep contracts, Corn futures were 1¢ to 2¢ higher. KC HRW Wheat futures were 5¢ to 6¢ higher. Soybean futures were mostly 1¢ to 3¢ higher.
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Major U.S. financial indices closed higher again Thursday on declining trade worries, recovering more of the steep losses that began the trading week.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 306 points higher. The S&P 500 closed 37 points higher. The NASDAQ was up 211 points.
Through mid-afternoon, West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil futures (CME) were 30¢ to 49¢ higher through the front six contracts.