Negotiated cash fed cattle trade ranged from slow on light demand in the North to a standstill in the Southern Plains through Thursday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service. There were some dressed delivered sales in Nebraska at $290/cwt., which was steady with last week.
Last week, FOB live prices were $185/cwt., in all regions. Dressed delivered prices were $290-$300 in the western Corn Belt.
Choice boxed beef cutout value was 40¢ higher Thursday afternoon at $306.79/cwt. Select was $1.93 higher at $272.92.
Toward the close, Feeder Cattle futures were an average of 80¢ higher with continued support from improved winter grazing prospects. Live Cattle futures were an average of 23¢ lower with likely pressure from positioning ahead of Friday’s monthly Cattle on Feed report.
Grain and Soybean futures were lower Thursday with pressure including the higher U.S. dollar.
Toward the close and through Sep ’25 contracts, Corn futures were 3¢ to 4¢ lower. Kansas City Wheat futures were 6¢ to 7¢ lower. Soybean futures were 9¢ to 12¢ lower.
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Major U.S. financial indices closed higher Thursday.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 461 points higher. The S&P 500 closed 31 points higher. The NASDAQ was up 6 points.
Through mid-afternoon, West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil futures on the CME were 96¢ to $1.38 higher through the front six contracts.