Latest News From MARKETS

Steady money dominated the market for the sixth consecutive week.  However, winds of change are blowing and steady $111 could be coming to an end. 

U.S. beef trade continued the impressive performance of recent months in the latest monthly trade data for August.

In separate interviews with AgriTalk representatives from two major beef industry organizations discussed major trade deals that have been negotiated recently.

Value-added programs don’t necessarily add value to a set baseline price. Rather, they begin by removing some of the discount (risk) that buyers assume exist.

Value-added programs don’t necessarily add value to a set baseline price. Rather, they begin by removing some of the discount (risk) that buyers assume exist.

Hedging opportunities for cattle marketed into the beginning of next year are becoming more attractive.

Hedging opportunities for cattle marketed into the beginning of next year are becoming more attractive.

The market proved more positive than feeders anticipated this past week after the bearish Cattle On Feed report coupled with a lower board.

Total beef exports were up 16.8 percent year over year in July contributing to a year to date increase of 15.0 percent for the first seven months of the year.

Mounting evidence connects R-CALF and Organization for Competitive Markets With the Humane Society of the United States.

Fed cattle traded steady to $1 higher, supported by gains in CME futures. Feeder cattle were steady to $4 higher.

Based on past history and international agreements, this atypical case should not affect beef exports or our negligible-risk status with the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).

Feeding margins with red ink will continue into September, but in general the losses are not crippling.

Weather and forage conditions over the next several weeks could have a major impact on female prices this fall.

The impact of U.S. beef exports on calf prices continues to rise as experts advise ranchers to stay abreast of trade developments globally.

Uncertainty with trade deals, global competition and an ongoing trade war have the potential to alter U.S. beef’s standing in the export market.

Total beef consumption in China in 2018 is estimated at 8.5 million metric tons, second only to the U.S., according to the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service.

Research from the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture indicates that a trade agreement with Japan is crucial for the U.S. beef industry.

China has an estimated total cattle herd of 96.85 million head in 2018, slightly larger than the current U.S. herd of 94.4 million head.

Cattle importer focuses on finding healthy, quality cattle for finishing in the United States.

Much of the uncertainty surrounding the issue of trade has created a level of anxiety within several U.S. industries.

Despite increased beef production in 2018, up nearly 4% so far this year, beef demand has been quite strong and has limited beef and cattle price pressure in the first half of the year.

Despite increased beef production in 2018, up nearly 4% so far this year, beef demand has been quite strong and has limited beef and cattle price pressure in the first half of the year.

If high beef demand, and steady to high margins continue throughout the summer, the packer will have incentive to continue large kills every week.

Beef producers need to think globally.

Additional cattle are continuing to come to feedyards, but fortunately there’s been several market factors at play to help offset beef supplies, at least for now, said Craig VanDyke, Top Third Ag Marketing.

Additional cattle are continuing to come to feedyards, but fortunately there’s been several market factors at play to help offset beef supplies, at least for now, said Craig VanDyke, Top Third Ag Marketing.

Cash cattle markets were mostly weaker, with CME futures prices lower before turning sharply higher Friday.

Foreign markets for beef industry products continue to grow, especially in Asia.

Last week’s cattle trade was once again a disappointment to cattle feeders.

The USDA's quarterly outlook for U.S. Agricultural Trade has been released.

U.S. beef cow slaughter increased 10% through mid-April, in part due to herd liquidations stemming from drought in the southern Central Plains.

Trade was spotty at best last week due to lack of total numbers needed by packers for the shorter holiday week.

A record amount of beef is on the way to consumers ahead of the start of summer grilling season.

France has taken another step closer to starting beef exports to China’s huge market after Chinese officials last week inspected seven of the European country’s meat plants, a French industry official said.

So far in 2018, the U.S. has exported beef to 100 different countries. However, 85 of those countries only account for 5.9 percent of year to date beef exports.

Drought conditions and wildfires in the southern Plains have erased any ideas of expansion in the region, further pressuring female prices.

Many feeders chose not to sell this week because they did not not want to give in to a softer cash market.  The cattle that traded in the north and south, found the cash market $4 dollars lower at $122. 

Beef exports during the first quarter or 2018 have continued (and built upon) the increases seen last year.

Cash trade in the South was robust once again this week, with most cattle bringing $126, and a handful trading early at $125. The trade in the North was steady to a little weaker.

Chip Nellinger of Blue Reef Agri-Marketing talks beef with AgDay host Clinton Griffiths.

Packers could potentially find it challenging to obtain enough market ready cattle to meet their spring order demands.

The European Union might be willing to accept more imports of U.S. beef to help ease trade tension with President Trump.

Feedyard closeouts revealed profits of $92 per head last week after two weeks of losses.

This week should show us how willing the packers are to pull May contracts.

This week should show us how willing the packers are to pull May contracts.

USDA’s cattle on feed survey data can have inherent problems, but additionally, we don’t really know the feeding performance of cattle in feedlots in the major feeding regions.

USDA’s cattle on feed survey data can have inherent problems, but additionally, we don’t really know the feeding performance of cattle in feedlots in the major feeding regions.

What began as a dismal start in the cash trade early last week, shifted into a more positive direction on Friday.  

Ireland will become the first European Union country to gain access to China’s fast-growing beef market after its agriculture minister said on Monday that Beijing had approved imports from three Irish processors.