Markets
Brad Kooima of Kooima Kooima Varilek says cattle futures are seeing some early weakness despite last week’s record cash and neutral USDA Cattle on Feed Report compared to expectations. Corn is down with wheat and mostly favorable weather.
Dr. Derrell Peel, Extension livestock marketing specialist with Oklahoma State University, says the on feed number has been below year ago levels the last four months.
Scott Varilek, Kooima Kooima Varilek, says ag markets are seeing red with the threat of 50% tariffs on all EU imports.
Live cattle futures continue to ignore the strength in spot cash trade with a sharp downside correction last Wednesday, extending into Thursday, pulling $5/cwt.
Check out the latest Sterling Marketing Profit Tracker from week of May 17.
Brad Kooima of Kooima Kooima Varilek, says cattle futures are in recovery mode for a second day after scoring key weekly reversals last week on the charts, a bearish sign of a possible top. Corn is also trying to bounce after new lows for the year in the December contract.
Scott Varilek, Kooima Kooima Varilek, says after two ugly down days in cattle futures the markets are trying to recover and so is the soybean market.
Check out the Sterling Marketing Beef Profit Tracker ending week of May 10.
The markets have several big headlines they’re digesting including news over the weekend that China and the U.S. are de-escalating the tariff war.
Fundamental supply and demand have taken control of spot fed cattle values over April Live Cattle futures lows.
Scott Varilek, Kooima Kooima Varilek, says cattle continue to hit all-time highs in cash and futures. While corn is seeing some short covering after new lows for the move on Thursday.
Check out the Sterling Marketing’s Profit Tracker ending the week of May 3.
Brad Kooima, Kooima Kooima Varilek, says cash cattle trade was record high again last week with $223 live paid in much of the North and even a few $224 trades to a regional. Grains are mostly lower.
Scott Varilek, Kooima Kooima Varilek, says cattle futures continue to hold strong with more record cash. While grains are also in the green on value buying and trade hopes.
Check out the Sterling Marketing Profit Tracker for the week ending April 26.
Last week’s 5-area weighted average cash cattle price hit a new high at $216.32, up $3.56 from the previous record set March 21.
Brad Kooima, Kooima Kooima Varilek, says grains are seeing pressure on weather. However, both live and feeder cattle futures are making new contract and all-time highs on last week’s record cash.
Scott Varilek, Kooima Kooima Varilek, says live cattle traded two-sided early Friday as the market awaits larger scale cash development with stronger prices anticipated. Grains are quietly mixed.
Check out the Beef Profit Tracker for week of April 19.
The fed cattle market was sharply higher last week with a $4.29/cwt. upward move.
Brad Kooima, Kooima Kooima Varilek, says grains lose early strength running into chart resistance. While cattle also started higher with the sharply higher cash trade Thursday but faded.
Scott Varilek, Kooima Kooima Varilek, says the slightly higher placements than expectations in the USDA Cattle on Feed Report are not a concern to him. He thinks cash is ultimately king!
Check out the Sterling Marketing Beef Profit Tracker ending April 12.
In times of chaos, it’s best to go back to the basics of basis and price. Effective risk management has little room for mistakes, but that doesn’t mean it has to be perfect.
Brad Kooima, Kooima Kooima Varilek, says cattle are seeing followthrough buying and strength Monday morning as the S&P 500 continues to stabilize and recover after the tariff delays.
Embrace market volatility, and figure out how to use it to your advantage during this time of uncertainty, advises commodity broker Brad Kooima
Arlan Suderman, StoneX Chief Commodities Economist says the markets reacted positively to the 90-day delay on reciprocal tariffs for countries that reached out to negotiate with the U.S. and did not retaliate.
The 2025 fed cattle harvest has run very close to a year ago with the full production weeks averaging 473,000 head, a 1,600-head increase over the same period last year.
Check out Sterling Marketing’s Beef Profit Tracker for week ending April 5.
Check out the Sterling Marketing Beef Profit Tracker ending March 29.