Livestock and Grain Markets, Prices & Futures
Use the chart below to check futures prices for commodities. Click the links for pricing on grains, livestock, and more and stay on top of what’s going on in the markets. Cash price reflects the USDA Chicago terminal.
Latest News from Markets
With the run-up in stock prices for GameStop, AMC and others, could corn, soybeans or cattle be next? Listen to what Tommy Grisafi of Advance Trading had to say about it on U.S. Farm Report this weekend.
The inventory of all cattle and calves in the U.S. was 93.6 million head on January 1, 2021, down fractionally from 93.8 million head one year ago.
Cash cattle traded mostly $3 higher on the week, despite light volumes and varied interest from packers. April live cattle futures posted a key bearish reversal, but closed lower for the week.
Market analysts see signs that feedyards have significantly reduced the COVID-19-induced backlog of cattle and are regaining currentness, also a key factor in the recent market rally.
On-feed numbers indicate that packers could be running low on committed cattle, which should force some packers back into the cash market in the coming weeks.
Cattle feeders were left on the sidelines as every other cattle/beef market segment saw a price rally. Futures markets set new highs, but cash cattle have not reached $112 for seven months.
Jan. fed cattle prices are normally choppy and we’re seeing that pattern in 2021. A primary difference, compared to 2020, is that last week’s average price is $14/cwt. lower, the same discount as the 5-year average.
Driven by higher estimates for pork, the China total meat import forecasts were revised up for both 2020 and 2021, according to the USDA Livestock and Poultry World Markets and Trade report.
Cattle feeders found higher prices as 2020 came to a close, but their ability to push the market higher may hinge on how Live Cattle futures perform in the first weeks of the New Year.
Cattle feeders gained enough leverage to push negotiated cash cattle prices higher during both holiday weeks as 2020 drew to a close. Supplies of fed cattle will tick lower during the first quarter of 2021.