Robin Schmahl

Live cattle may return to test the highs, even though cash is questionable this week. The packers will want to maintain their strong margins and keep cash at steady or lower levels compared to last week. Hogs showed a significant...

Live cattle closed higher ahead of the holiday weekend as most of the cash cattle trade developed at steady prices. That provided some confidence to traders that maybe the slide was done. Hog futures were under pressure in...

Cattle futures turned on their heels Wednesday and regained much of what was lost on Tuesday. Traders looked past the news of cattle imports resuming from Mexico and returned to market fundamentals. Hog futures exhibited bull...

Traders were quick to react Tuesday to the announcement that imports of cattle from Mexico will resume next week. The pressure was a psychological reaction and not a fundamental change. Hog futures posted another day of lower...

Live cattle closed moderately higher in nearby contracts Monday, while deferred contracts showed strong gains along with feeder cattle. Traders seemed confident to buy back into the market after it corrected from being...

The cash cattle trade was very limited and took place late on Thursday after the markets closed. Live cattle futures showed little strength due to price uncertainty. Hogs closed lower ahead of the Hogs and Pigs report, as...

Cattle could not keep the early momentum Wednesday following the pattern of futures movement on Tuesday. Live cattle closed lower, with feeder cattle mixed. Traders remain bullish on the market but cautious over cash. Hogs were...

Cattle futures could not maintain the momentum that began Tuesday and most contracts closed with minimal losses. The potential for lower cash this week is weighing on the market. Hog traders finally decided to liquidate the...

Cattle traders were torn between a friendly Cattle on Feed report and cash weakness last week. The uncertainty of Monday may continue until cash trade develops. Hog futures closed at new contract highs Monday, keeping the...

Traders did not want to support the market ahead of the Cattle on Feed report Friday and sold some positions due to cash weakness. Hog futures remained supportive on strong pork demand and trader interest in remaining long...

Cattle futures seem top-heavy but closed higher Wednesday. Traders remained optimistic, but any negativity may send futures lower. Light cash trading took place on Thursday. Hogs closed mostly higher on Wednesday but may...

Cattle futures have been wild since Friday with large price swings. The maket fundamentals are supportive, but the market may be tired and in need of a larger retracement. Hogs seemed to move in sympathy with cattle Tuesday, as...

The price retracement in cattle futures was short-lived Monday, with contracts nearly regaining the losses of Friday. Demand remains strong. Hog futures moved to new contract highs with strong support from cash and cutouts.

Traders decided to liquidate some cattle futures positions Friday ahead of the weekend due to concern over continued cash strength. Hogs closed mixed, with the June contract moving off the board and traders decided to wait for...

The cattle market continued to consolidate Thursday, giving the impression traders may be getting a little uncomfortable at these price levels. However, steady to higher cash should provide support. Hogs closed slightly higher...

Cattle futures took a breather on Wednesday. Traders are waiting to see at what price level cash trade will develop. Demand remains strong. Hog futures held gains and closed at new contract highs in most months Wednesday...

Cattle futures experienced a significant price swing Tuesday, with live cattle moving over $3.00 and feeder cattle over $4.00 from low to high. Light cash trade turned the market higher. Hog futures had some spread unwinding on...

Livestock futures found support Monday, closing higher after spending some time in negative territory. Higher beef prices provided some optimism. Hogs closed higher as traders remained friendly to the market.

Last week was an exceptional week for cattle with cash and futures exceptionally higher. The large increase in cash continued to support the market. Cash hogs were lower, but that was offset by spillover buying from cattle and...

Cattle futures exploded Thursday with traders buying with both hands. The substantial increase in cash fueled the frenzy. Contracts left a gap on the open and never looked back. Hog traders were rather oblivious to the...

Livestock futures increased Wednesday with only the June hog contract closing lower. Cattle futures received support from the higher cash cattle trade. Hog futures were supported by aggressive buying by packers.

Cattle futures did an aboutface Tuesday after spending time in positive territory. At midmorning, they quickly turned lower, as if someone had flipped a direction switch. Hogs showed continued spread trading with pressure on the...

Live cattle futures remained in positive territory throughout the day Monday, while feeder cattle spent a little time trading slightly lower. However, cattle had a strong close in both categories, with feeder cattle outperforming...

Cattle futures could not hold onto their early gains Friday, succumbing to selling ahead of the weekend despite higher cash trade. Feeder cattle closed their chart gaps. Hogs had a strong day with traders focusing on the...

Cattle futures have recovered most of the losses since the fake news story of the New World screwworm earlier in the week. Cash cattle traded higher, providing further support. Hogs futures were mixed with traders searching...

Cattle futures tried to regain some of Tuesday's losses on Wednesday, but succumbed to further weakness as traders remained nervous. Hogs found further support and could regain last week's losses with hopes that demand will...

Cattle futures had a wild Tuesday, with a rumor New World screwworm had been detected in the U.S. Cattle futures immediately fell, but it was a false rumor, and contracts recovered, but still closed lower. Hog futures had a trading...

Traders were a little shy ahead of the Cattle on Feed report and going into the weekend. Cash cattle had not traded before the close, not confirming strength for the week. Hog futures could not climb out of negative territory.

Traders renewed their confidence in the cattle markets, becoming aggressive buyers Thursday. Cash cattle trade has been light, but higher. Boxed beef prices continue to increase. Hog futures were mixed, with nearby lower and...

Live and feeder cattle futures showed an unusual divergence Wednesday with live cattle higher and feeder cattle lower. Some light cash trade took place at $2.00 higher than last week. Hogs fell back after trying to post gains...

Cattle futures did not provide much excitement Tuesday as traders are uncertain over the strength of cash and the upcoming Cattle on Feed report. Hogs followed a similar pattern with futures mixed at the close. There was...

Traders supported the live cattle complex Monday but did not generate much interest in feeder cattle. The rebound in cattle may be tempered this week, looking ahead to the cash trade. Hogs exhibited spread trading based on the...

The liquidation in cattle futures may have run its course with the market bouncing into the weekend. Cash was not bearish, but traders will be cautious to begin the week. Hog futures closed mixed, holding onto gains, but the cash...

The feeder cattle and some live cattle contracts gapped lower on the open Thursday and never looked back. The liquidation continued with the August through November feeder cattle contracts closing more than $6.00 lower. Hog...

Cattle futures made new highs Wednesday, but aggressive selling erupted and contracts fell through the last two hours of trading. Hogs followed a similar pattern with futures turning lower about the same time, likely due to...

Traders were not as aggressive in cattle futures Tuesday as they were on Monday. The market may drift until there is an indication of cash prices. Hogs were higher Tuesday as there seems to be renewed optimism over demand.

The livestock complex received positive news over the weekend, pushing futures higher on Monday. Cattle received strength from the sharply higher stock market and the closing of Mexican cattle imports. Hogs were supported by...

Cash cattle traded higher, but futures did not continue higher on Friday. Traders did not want to get too carried away at these high prices. Hog futures closed mixed despite positive cash and cutout prices.

Cattle futures pushed to new contract highs Thursday as stronger than anticipated cash cattle trade developed. Feeder cattle futures led the way higher. Hog futures could not find solid direction, with contracts closing mixed...

Cattle futures took a breather Wednesday as traders want to see cash trade develop before further committing to supporting the market. Hog traders were uncertain of a price direction with a mixed close. Cash and cutouts did...

Cattle futures struggled during the day but posted higher closes in all contracts except May feeder cattle Tuesday. New contract highs were again established. Hogs showed a divergence in price with significant pressure on the...

It was another banner day for cattle with new contract highs in all contracts Monday. Tight supplies and higher boxed beef continue to provide support. Hogs struggled throughout the day, closing with nearby months slower, sand...

It was a strong close to the week with traders supporting livestock futures Friday. Cattle pushed higher on firm cash. Hogs rebounded after liquidation ran its course.

There is no ceiling on cash as packers aggressively purchase cattle. They were short-bought and may remain that way as they may buy only what they need. Hog futures were mixed at the close Thursday as traders seemed...

Most livestock contracts retraced on Wednesday. Cattle futures took a breather from their overbought status and the expiration of the April live cattle contract. Hog futures tried to regain some recent losses, but buying...

There seems to be no stopping cattle futures from making new contract highs. Boxed beef prices posted large gains again Tuesday as slower slaughter has only increased prices. Hogs fell back in contracts through October as the...

Cattle futures continue to reach new contract highs. The large increase in boxed beef should provide further support, as demand is not wavering. Hogs struggled to maintain Friday's gains on Monday, but accomplished the task.

Live cattle futures closed last week mixed, as most cash cattle trade was pushed until after the futures markets closed. Cash traded higher, which should influence trading Monday. Hog futures were surprisingly strong as the...

Cattle futures drifted during the day but closed moderately higher in all but the June live cattle contract. Very light cash activity was noted in Kansas, but not sufficient to establish direction. Hog futures took a breather...

New contract highs were established in April through August, with the April contract gapping higher. Traders are bullish on the market, expecting higher cash trade to develop. Hogs held up well...

The livestock complex showed impressive gains on Tuesday with a new contract high in the soon-to-expire April live cattle contract. Hog futures pushed through technical resistance, triggering renewed buying interest.

Feeder cattle showed more pressure than live cattle Monday as traders reacted to the higher Cattle on Feed report placements. However, the selling lacked commitment as the report had been digested. Hogs are slowly creeping...

Traders had an extra day to assess the Cattle on Feed report with Friday's holiday. The report could be considered somewhat neutral and may not have much influence on the market Monday. Hogs held onto higher prices on...

The livestock complex had a strong day Wednesday. There was optimism that cash cattle would trade steady to higher this week and that demand will remain strong. Hogs were higher as futures regained the losses from the tariff...

Cattle have had three consecutive days of gains as traders have turned their attention to potential demand. The impact of tariffs has been assessed, and traders have concluded it may not have a significant impact on...

The optimism in the cattle market continued on Monday with a second day of gains. The upcoming Cattle on Feed report may limit continued gains, along with the potential for lower cash prices. Hog contracts extended gains as...

Cattle futures prices increased Friday with feeder cattle leading the strength. This seemed to be in response to better equity markets, as cattle futures are following the outside markets. Hog futures were able to close higher in...

The cattle market followed the direction of the stock market Thursday, suffering significant losses. Futures reversed some of the gains from Wednesday as traders remained uncertain about cash prices. Hogs showed surprising...

Livestock futures struggled Wednesday under the weight of added tariffs on China and its reciprocal tariffs. However, the 90-day pause of tariffs on countries that do not have retaliatory tariffs turned the markets higher...

Cattle futures opened higher Tuesday and held gains for a while before the idea of a rebound fizzled. Too much uncertainty remains over export tariffs to generate renewed interest in buying. Hog futures followed suit with a...