Live cattle futures closed last Friday with $1.32 gains in the expiring October contract, with other contracts down $1.42 to $2, as December was down $4.25 last week. Preliminary open interest was up 2,914 contracts. Cash trade shifted from $230 early in the week to $232 in the north on Friday, with Southern sales near $235. Feeder cattle futures pulled off the midday lows to close with losses of $2.10 to $2.95, as November fell $13.325 last week. The CME Feeder Cattle Index fell $4.75 to $327.25 on October 30.
USDA Wholesale Boxed Beef prices were mixed in the Friday afternoon report, with the Chc/Sel spread at $19.48. Choice boxes were down 14 cents to $378.13, while Select was 87 cents lower at $358.65. USDA federally inspected cattle slaughter for last week at 559,000 head. That is 14,000 head below last week and 56,990 head shy of the same week last year.
Oct 25 Live Cattle closed at $236.600, up $1.325,
Dec 25 Live Cattle closed at $229.675, down $1.425,
Feb 26 Live Cattle closed at $227.675, down $1.825,
Nov 25 Feeder Cattle closed at $338.875, down $2.950,
Jan 26 Feeder Cattle closed at $331.900, down $2.325,
Mar 26 Feeder Cattle closed at $327.125, down $2.100,
