Robin Schmahl

Trading in cattle was not very volatile. After spending some time in negative territory, futures were able to climb and close higher. Hogs moved in the opposite direction and continued to show weakness as the day progressed. The...

Friday's trade was somewhat lackluster as there was little remaining for traders to get excited about. There was a limited amount of cattle traded at prices in line with earlier in the week. Hog cutouts are on a yoyo with traders...

The livestock complex was higher Thursday with the exception of January feeder cattle. Active cash trading as much as $3.00 higher provided the catalyst for higher futures. Hogs were the recipients of a large increase of...

The cattle complex regained some ground but not as much as one would have anticipated given the resolve of feedlots to hold out for higher cash this week. Hogs were higher in nearby months as a result of cash strength.

Live cattle felt the pressure Tuesday of the outside markets as greater uncertainly surrounds the omicron virus strain. This may impact the level of cash packers are willing to pay for cattle. Hogs again did some unwinding of...

Cattle futures took it on the chin Monday, most likely due to the market taking a breather after last week's strong run higher. Hogs went back to posting a divergence between the close months and deferred months as December...

Cattle futures held well Friday despite some of the meltdown in equities and other commodities. Strong cash kept traders hopeful demand will continue even with the uncertainty of a new strain of COVID. Hog futures could not find...

Cattle futures exploded higher Wednesday. Packers became aggressive, pushing cash higher in their attempt to procure supplies. Hogs diverged with December posting triple-digit gains as it seems spreads were unwound. A possible new...

The cattle complex moved higher with feeders leading the charge. Cash traded higher, providing confidence to traders to move futures higher to keep in line with cash as well as keeping premium in later months. Hogs could not find...

The livestock complex put in a nice day Monday with futures closing higher across the board. Cattle gained on a neutral Cattle of Feed report and the prospect of higher cash. Hogs defied underlying cash to close higher.

Last week showed the uptrend resuming during the second half. Higher cash trade gave traders to confidence to move futures higher to at least keep pace with the strength. Nearby hogs just could not shake the bearishness of...

Traders finally found what they were looking for in the cattle complex. Higher cash trade gave them the confidence to adjust futures higher. Feeder cattle posted strong gains as calves traded significantly higher. Hogs were able...

Live cattle closed higher but left the market in the range it has been trading in over the past week. Weakening boxed beef has traders concerned about market potential. Hog futures have been stretched with December not able...

Live cattle futures activity took place Tuesday in even a tighter range than most of last week. With cash anticipated to trade higher this week and a strong kill planned, traders have not been willing to anticipate higher prices...

Live cattle followed the pattern of last week with minimal price movement and futures closing without any fanfare. Traders are waiting for cash to trade. Hogs were generally higher with the exception of the December contract...

Friday was another day with a fairly tight trading range and not much to show for it in the end. Any cash business that was accomplished was done at similar prices of earlier in the week, leaving little to go on. Hogs were able to...

Cattle once again had an uneventful trading day Thursday with futures price swing of $1.00 or less. Price movement of the past three days has nearly been identical and much of the same is expected Friday. Hogs closed slightly...

Cash cattle traded higher but that had little impact on futures Wednesday. The trade seemed to have the gains already factored in, leaving little reason to increase futures. Hogs again defied the weakness of cash and cutouts...

It was a ho-hum day for live cattle futures yesterday as traders were content to hold positions as they saw nothing to get excited about in the cash market as well as from the World Agricultural Supply and Demand report. Hog...

Cattle futures were able to hold gains Monday as traders anticipated higher cash again this week. The question is just how much more packers will be willing to pay. Hogs struggled much of the day with the December contract filling...

Both cattle and hogs were able to close last week higher. Cattle were supported by higher cash while hogs defied underlying cash, opting for the idea that enough is enough; packers may find hog numbers begin to tighten.

The cattle complex turned tail, erasing most of the gains made on Wednesday. Traders became concerned over the possibility of futures overreacting to the possibility of higher cash than has already been posted this week. Hog...

The cattle complex extended gains with live cattle futures anticipating further gains in cash. A limited amount of cattle traded Wednesday, pushing business to the second half of the week. Hogs rebounded nicely due to the...

Cattle and hog futures moved in the opposite direction with a vengeance. The large drop in feeder cattle should have never taken place based on the movement Tuesday. Early cash cattle activity increased buying interest. Hogs...

Monday was a brutal day for feeder cattle with futures under pressure during the last hour of trading, but then plummeting during the final 15 minutes. Live cattle closed lower but thankfully not following suit. Hogs held their own...

Cattle and hog futures diverged on Friday with hogs gaining about as much as was lost in the cattle contracts. The strength of cash cattle last week pushed futures higher during the week, but gains were erased the second half...

Cattle and hog futures did an about face Thursday with cattle suffering triple-digit losses while hogs showed triple-digit gains. It seemed that the expiration of October feeder cattle Thursday and the last trading day for cattle...

Live cattle futures held gains and closed higher. The strength of cash had been factored in on Wednesday, leaving little need catch up. Feeder cattle were not as fortunate being unable to turn the trend higher. Hogs just could...

The cattle complex finally reacted to the bullish implications of the Cattle on Feed report. Triple-digit gains were seen across the board. Hogs moved in the opposite direction with triple-digit losses as fundamental support remains...

Cattle moved higher as expected due to the report on Friday, but it was a bit disappointing that futures were not able to move higher than they did. Hogs struggled all day with the exception of December, which held gains likely...

Cattle futures fell on Friday in anticipation of a negative Cattle of Feed report, suffering mostly triple-digit losses. However, such was not the case, which may bring a rebound Monday. Hogs tried to hold their ground after two...

Pressure moved through much of the livestock complex Thursday. Cattle were the recipients of traders positioning themselves ahead of the Cattle on Feed report. The selling in hogs was the result of little underlying support and...

Cattle futures found their legs after a period of weakness, closing higher for the day. Initial cash cattle traded at steady money, eliminating some concern over potential weakness. Hogs succeeded in closing the chart gaps and...

Traders are not expecting much this week in cattle futures, which will keep the market choppy. The Cattle on Feed report will be released on Friday and may keep trading activity sideways until then. Hogs took a beating Tuesday...

Cattle and hogs diverged Monday with most of the pressure put on feeder cattle. Live cattle showed little to trade on other than some spillover pressure. Hogs continued to defy the weakness of cash and cutouts.

Live cattle and feeder cattle diverged to end the week. Feeders may have been under pressure over concerns of increasing placements. Live cattle uncovered some buying interest to end the week as cash cattle on Friday traded...

The cattle complex uncovered some buying interest Thursday from stronger boxed beef prices as well as strong financial markets. Hogs were not the recipients of any spillover strength closing lower. December hogs are now the lead...

The livestock complex closed lower across the board Wednesday as traders just did not find solid support under the market. Hogs nearly closed lower chart gaps. Cattle saw further pressure due to steady cash developing.

Live cattle tried to hold near unchanged but succumbed to further pressure after some bearish numbers of beef production were seen on the WASDE report. Hogs were under pressure at the start and just did not look back.

It was a rather neutral day for live cattle Monday with futures trading in a relatively tight range and prices finally settling on both sides of unchanged in closer months. Hogs were under pressure all day, unable to uncover...

The cattle complex coasted into the weekend after a strong week. Cash traded in line with what took place earlier in the week as well as weakness in boxed beef, which provided traders with little to get excited about. Hogs...

Feeder cattle found strong buying interest as the day progressed. Nearby futures gained over $3.00 pushing October feeders to the highest level in a month. Live cattle followed along posting strong gains as well. Hogs were able...

Feeder cattle were the bright spot of the cattle complex, posting triple-digit gains, dragging live cattle along with them. Live cattle just could not garner much strength in themselves. Hogs closed lower but rebounded from the...

The cattle complex found strength as the day progressed Monday. Hog futures turned the other way posting triple-digit losses. The general reason was that the markets corrected from an oversold condition in the case of cattle...

It was a fairly uneventful day on Friday as livestock futures coasted into the weekend. Traders had positioned themselves for the end of the month and end of the quarter, leaving little else to do but enjoy the weekend. Cash...

The huge divergence between cattle and hog futures shows the dynamic between the two markets based on the results of last Friday's reports. The weakness of cattle pushed futures below technical support. Hogs have reached or...

Most livestock futures settled lower at the end of Wednesday with most of the pressure seen in feeder cattle. Live cattle tried to hold near steady with Tuesday's close, but traders were unable to find the confidence to...

Live cattle remained in a tight trading range Tuesday while feeder cattle found its legs after the fall on Monday gaining back some of the losses. Hogs floundered for a while at the open, but more aggressive buying interest from...

There was quite a divergence between cattle and hog futures Monday. Live cattle held their own showing minor losses while feeder cattle were under significant selling pressure, Hogs moved sharply higher with December and February...

Both the Cattle of Feed and the Hogs & Pigs report came and went. It was a bearish cattle report and a bullish hog report. Traders have had the weekend to digest the report and determine whether current futures have...

Strong gains in the financial markets Thursday provided some support to the livestock complex. Most of the trading activity was the result of traders looking ahead to the reports to be released Friday.

Traders may have turned a bit friendlier to the market on the possibility of a bullish Cattle on Feed report. Hog futures did not share the same enthusiasm closing moderately lower even though estimates for the Hogs & Pigs...

Cattle futures just could not generate any specific direction. This might be the pattern for the rest of the week as traders look ahead to the Cattle on Feed report. Hogs traded lower due to continued cash weakness and...

Cattle futures held well in the face of pressure from financial and other commodity markets. Some support came from higher boxed beef prices. Hog futures could not hold as cash and cutouts fell.

Live cattle lost most of what was gained last week as cash trade was disappointing. Feedlots holding out through Friday did not push packers into a corner wherein they needed to pay higher to obtain supply. Hogs fared well...

The rebound of cattle was short-lived as selling pressure on feeder cattle pulled live cattle slightly lower. Steady to lower cash also had an impact. Hogs saw spread trading with October the beneficiary of buying, unsupported by...

Cattle rebounded Tuesday due to an oversold market with traders exiting short positions. The minimal downtime of the Nebraska JBS plant was positive. Hogs continues to remain on the defensive even though cutouts rebounded.

Even though the closure of the JBS Grand Island plant was expected to be temporary, the cattle complex continues to pancake lower as technical support levels are taken out. Hogs are under pressure from cash and cutout weakness.

There appears to be no bottom in the livestock markets. A concern over declining demand has gripped the market and will not let go. Technical support continues to be violated.

The livestock complex struggled Thursday with only a few nearby live cattle contracts closing higher. Cash cattle trade looks to close the week generally $1 higher. Hogs made a valiant attempt to hold, but weakness slowly permeated...

Weakness continues to plague the cattle market. After 10 days of liquidation, the market should be ready for a bounce; but something will need to trigger that change. Cash cattle trading higher Wednesday was not enough. Hogs are...