Live cattle futures closed with losses of $2.05 to $2.60 on Thursday, with August down $6.60 last week. Open interest was down 827 contracts on Thursday. Cash sales were picked up at $403 dressed in the north last week, with live trade at $255-256. Southern trade was $255, with both regions seeing weakness from the week prior. Feeder cattle futures were $$2.72 to $3.80 lower across the board on Thursday, with August down $9.22 on the week. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was down $5.74 on July 1 to $371.25.
Export Sales data from USDA showed beef sales for 2026 at 126,062 MT for the week ending on 6/25, a calendar year high. Shipments were tallied at 128,967 MT, which was a 2026 high. There was 111,164 MT in late reporting for sales and shipments.
Wholesale Boxed Beef prices were lower in the Thursday afternoon report, with the Chc/Sel spread at $19.64. Choice boxes were down $4.19 at $387.07, with Select $2.26 lower to $367.43. USDA’s federally inspected cattle slaughter for Thursday was estimated at 109,000 head, with the weekly total at 433,000 head. That was steady with the previous week and 39,421 head below the same week last year.
Aug 26 Live Cattle closed at $239.225, down $2.600,
Oct 26 Live Cattle closed at $234.300, down $2.425,
Dec 26 Live Cattle closed at $234.225, down $2.350,
Aug 26 Feeder Cattle closed at $360.625, down $3.525,
Sep 26 Feeder Cattle closed at $358.475, down $3.700,
Oct 26 Feeder Cattle closed at $355.575, down $3.725,
