Live Cattle Futures Slip as Weaker Beef Cutout Prices Weigh

what happened

Newsmetry API reports that live cattle futures settled 0.2% lower at $2.26575 a pound, edging down as beef cutout prices weakened.

ADM Investor Services said the main pressure was concentrated in chucks, rounds, briskets, plates and flanks — primal cuts that are largely used for ground beef. The firm said rising beef imports make it very likely that prices for these cuts will continue to move lower.

Imports, as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to reduce consumer beef prices, have also weighed on cattle futures. Lean hog futures moved in the opposite direction, settling 0.8% higher at 68.35 cents a pound.

why it matters

The session highlights how weaker prices for key beef cuts and higher imports are affecting cattle futures. Cattle and hog contracts moved in opposite directions, reflecting different conditions across the meat markets.

instruments