Cattle futures continued higher Friday, supported by friendlier outside markets and oversold conditions.
Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $2.24 higher ($1.55 to $2.57 higher). They were an average of $6.68 higher week to week ($4.95 to $7.98 higher).
Live Cattle futures closed an average of $1.12 (72¢ to $1.42 higher). They were an average of $3.71 higher week to week on Friday ($2.77 to $4.27 higher).
Negotiated cash fed cattle trade ranged from mostly inactive on light demand to slow on moderate demand through Friday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.
Although too few to trend, there were some FOB live sales in the Southern Plains at $170/cwt. and in the western Corn Belt at $167-$168 where early dressed delivered prices were $267.
The only established trade for last week was in Nebraska with FOB live prices $1-$3 lower at $168/cwt. and dressed delivered prices steady to $4 lower at $267-$268.
The previous week, FOB live prices were $171 in the Southern Plains and $168-$171 in the western Corn Belt where dressed delivered prices were $268-$270.
Choice boxed beef cutout value was 68¢ lower Friday afternoon at $291.64/cwt. Select was $2.56 higher at $260.82/cwt.
Estimated total cattle slaughter last week of 649,000 head was 14,000 head more than the previous week and 27,000 head more than the same week last year. Estimated total year-to-date cattle slaughter of 31.1 million head was 1.5 million head fewer (-4.5%) than the same period last year. Estimated year-to-date beef production of 25.6 billion pounds was 1.3 billion pounds less (-5.0%).
Grain futures closed higher on likely short covering.
KC HRW Wheat futures closed mostly 6¢ to 8¢ higher.
Corn futures closed mostly 2¢ to 3¢ higher.
Soybean futures closed mostly 2¢ to 5¢ lower.
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Major U.S. financial indices closed narrowly mixed Friday.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 56 points higher. The S&P 500 closed fractionally lower. The NASDAQ was up 52 points.
West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil futures (CME) closed 12¢ to 16¢ lower through the front six contracts.
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“The proportion of heifers reported in weekly federally inspected slaughter data and in weekly sales data for feeder and stocker cattle remain quite strong, particularly given historically high nominal price levels recorded this year,” say analysts with USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS), in the recent monthly Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook. “Possible impediments to cow/calf producers retaining heifers in their herds may be a lack of forage and continued relatively high operating expenses.”
For perspective, when accounting for inflation, ERS analysts note the average price for 750-800 lb. feeder steers at Oklahoma City this year are 16% less than the record levels of 2014-15.
Several factors are likely contributing to lower reported feeder calf prices,” ERS analysts say. “Wholesale beef prices have been trending lower since the shorter-than-expected seasonal uptick in late October. This has encouraged packers to try to minimize the prices paid for fed cattle by managing throughput. This is likely putting a squeeze on feedlot returns for calves purchased at higher levels in the summer, and coupled with declining futures prices for fed cattle, may be affecting feedlots’ willingness to pay higher prices for feeders. Further, less heifer retention is probably helping support supplies available for placement.”