DTN Midday Livestock Comments          04/23 12:08

   Buyers Push Hog Prices Higher Midday

   Hog futures quickly turned around midmorning as sharp triple digit losses 
quickly ran out of gas, leaving buyers an open door to move back into the 
complex.

By Rick Kment
DTN Analyst

General Comments

   Firm buyer support moved back into lean hog trade following aggressive 
triple-digit losses during early trade. This may help to rebound hog futures 
through the end of the week. Cattle trade is mixed in a narrowly mixed range. 
Corn futures are lower in light trade. May corn futures are 3 3/4 cents lower. 
Stock markets are higher in light trade. Dow Jones is 154 points higher with 
Nasdaq up 97 points. 

   LIVE CATTLE:

   Narrow trading ranges are holding in live cattle futures following the 
pullback from early gains. There is limited interest through the entire complex 
with traders focusing on underlying buyer support. But limited volume is likely 
to keep prices shifting in a narrow to moderate range through most of the 
session. Cash cattle markets are quiet Tuesday morning. A few bids are starting 
to develop at $130 live and $212 dressed. It is expected that trade will be 
pushed to the last half of the week. Boxed Beef cut-outs at midday are higher, 
$0.26 higher (select) and up $0.25 per cwt (choice) with light movement of 73 
total loads reported (38 loads of choice cuts, 15 loads of select cuts, 15 
loads of trimmings, 5 loads of ground beef).

   FEEDER CATTLE:

   Mixed trade is seen through feeder cattle trade with prices hovering in a 
narrow range. Although May futures are holding a strong $1.25 per cwt loss, the 
underlying pressure in the complex is based more on lack of trade. The rest of 
the complex is mixed within a single-digit range, allowing for traders to focus 
on potential market stability over the next couple of days.

   LEAN HOGS: 

   Lean hog futures have quickly turned around through the morning following 
additional news reports of African swine fever limiting production in China. 
This has pushed prices form $1.50 per cwt lower to 30 to 80 cents higher. There 
may be some additional support developing through the complex through the rest 
of the session. Cash prices are lower on the National Direct morning cash hog 
report. The weighted average price fell $0.61 at $79.60 per cwt with the range 
from $73.00 to $83.00, on 2,710 head reported sold. Cash prices are unreported 
due to confidentiality on the Iowa/Minnesota Direct morning cash hog report. 
Pork values firmed with strong underlying support. Pork cutouts added $1.30 per 
cwt at $89.16 per cwt with 215 loads traded. Lean hog index for 4/19 is $81.51 
up 0.52, with a projected two-day index is $82.07 up 0.53.

   Rick Kment can be reached at rick.kment@dtn.com 


(CZ)

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