The cash cattle arena remains untested at midday with neither bids or asking prices well defined. Significant trade volume could easily be delayed until Wednesday or Thursday. According to the noon report, the national hog base is not tested due to rules of confidentiality. Corn futures are 3 cents plus higher at midday, supported by further reports of dryness in Brazil as well as parts of the American Midwest. Currently, the stock market is mixed with the Dow off 40 points and the Nasdaq up 1.
LIVE CATTLE:
Although most live contracts opened moderately lower, short covering has caused issues to generally firm since midsession. At midday, prices are modestly higher for the most part as bulls seem to be doing a decent job holding on to yesterday's major surge. Stuck between ideas of oversold futures and further cash vulnerability, traders seem to be treading water until one side or the other can gather more convincing evidence. Beef cut-outs are mixed at midday, up 0.27 (choice, $231.09) to off 0.11 (select, $207.41) with light to moderate box movement (27 loads of choice cuts, 27 loads of select cuts, 8 loads of trimmings, 9 loads of coarse grinds).
FEEDER CATTLE:
Feeders are narrowly mixed as the trade moves into the session's final hour. Prices range from up 5 to 22 lower. Trade volume seems very slow.
LEAN HOGS:
Lean hog contracts are under substantial pressure with summer issues headed back into the lower 70s. Prices ranged from 32 to 127 points lower. Right or wrong, there's not much confidence here that all the recent ballyhoo over a trade truce with China means much for the long side of the market. Carcass value is some higher at midday with lower picnics and hams overshadow by stronger fresh cuts, ribs, and bellies. Pork cut-out: $76.42, up 0.32 CME cash lean index for 05/18: 68.38, up 0.64 (DTN Projected lean index for 05/21: 68.69, up 0.31).
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