Cattle Current Podcast—Feb. 28, 2022

The volatile market whipsaw unleashed by Russia’s attack on Ukraine continued in futures and equities Friday.

Grain and soybean futures closed sharply lower, shoved around by massive open interest, a more positive South American weather outlook and USDA projecting more corn and wheat acres to be planted than expected. In its Grains and Oil Seeds Outlook presented at the annual Agricultural Outlook Forum, USDA forecast 92.0 million acres of corn and 88.0 million acres of soybeans.

Soybean futures closed 34¢ to 71¢ lower through Jan ‘23 and the mostly 19¢ to 29¢ lower.

Corn futures closed 24¢ to 35¢ lower through Jly ‘23 and then mostly 20¢ lower.

Softer Corn futures benefitted Feeder Cattle futures, which closed an average of 96¢ higher (65¢ to $1.15 higher) Friday. However, they closed an average of $3.74 lower week to week on Friday ($2.22 to $6.10 lower). 

Based on weekly auctions monitored by Cattle Current, calves and feeders sold widely mixed last week but with distinctly lower undertones related to pressure from grain prices as well as weather disruptions in some areas.