Cattle futures closed lower Friday with the week’s lower cash fed cattle trade, sluggish wholesale beef prices, position squaring and wariness over the impact of U.S. tariffs set to begin this week.
Live Cattle futures were an average of $2.58 lower.
Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $2.45 lower.
Week to week on Friday, Live Cattle futures closed an average of 80¢ lower (10¢ to $1.55 lower), except for an average of 19¢ higher in the back three contracts. Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of 5.10 higher.
Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was moderate on light to moderate demand in the Southern Plains through Friday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service. FOB live prices were $2 lower at $197/cwt.
Elsewhere, trade was light on light to moderate demand. Although too few to trend, there were some FOB live trades in Nebraska and the western Corn Belt at $198. The previous week, prices were $199-$200 in Nebraska and $199 to $201 in the western Corn Belt.
Dressed delivered prices were $2 lower in Nebraska at $313. The previous week, prices were $315 in the western Corn Belt.
Choice boxed beef cutout value was 65¢ higher Friday afternoon at $311.83/cwt. Select was 8¢ lower at $302.05.
Grain futures sank Friday with apparent risk-of fund selling tied to looming U.S. tariffs and more bearish economic growth expectations, in tandem with week-end and month-end position squaring.
Corn futures closed 9¢ to 11¢ lower through old-crop contracts and then mostly 4¢ to 6¢ lower. Week to week on Friday, they were an average of 28¢ lower in the front six contracts.
Kansas City Wheat futures closed 7¢ to 13¢ lower on Friday. Soybean futures closed 8¢ to 12¢ lower.
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