Tuesday Midday Livestock Market Update - Traders Help Push Contracts Higher

GENERAL COMMENTS:

The livestock complex is trading higher into midday Tuesday following last Friday's sharp decline in the cattle complex. Still no cash cattle trade has developed and won't likely until later in the week. March corn is up 3/4 cent per bushel and March soybean meal is up $2.50. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is down 538.07 points and the NASDAQ is down 352.12 points.

LIVE CATTLE:

Following last Friday's sharp decline, the live cattle complex is cautiously trading higher into midday Tuesday. February live cattle are up $0.75 at $232.85, April live cattle are up $1.05 at $235.02 and June live cattle are up $1.32 at $230.92. The spot April contract is hovering above the market's 100-day moving average, which remains a very critical threshold to monitor, as a close below that price point could signal continued downward pressure. Still nothing has developed in this week's fed cash cattle market and won't likely until Thursday or Friday. New showlists appear to be mixed, higher in Kansas, about steady in Nebraska/Colorado, but lower in Texas.

Boxed beef prices are mixed: choice up $1.99 ($366.32) and select down $0.79 ($359.54) with a movement of 54 loads (42.95 loads of choice, 6.13 loads of select, zero loads of trim and 5.24 loads of ground beef).

FEEDER CATTLE:

And much like the live cattle complex, the feeder cattle contracts are trading slightly higher into midday Tuesday following last Friday's severe break. The feeder cattle complex will likely continue to follow in the live cattle market's wake, waiting and hoping for increased fundamental support. January feeders are up $1.10 at $363.02, March feeders are up $1.82 at $358.27 and April feeders are up $2.17 at $357.07.

LEAN HOGS:

The lean hog complex is trading higher into midday Tuesday, seeming technically unafraid that the market is breaking into new contract highs in the spot April contract. February lean hogs are steady at $88.27, April lean hogs are up $0.25 at $95.45 and June lean hogs are up $0.87 at $108.37. It is worth noting that pork cutouts are higher, but it will remain critical that fundamental support remains strong this week if traders are going to keep their momentum in the market.

The projected lean hog index for 1/16/2026 is up $0.76 at $81.76, and the actual index for 1/15/2026 is up $0.50 at $81.00. Hog prices are again unavailable on the Daily Direct Morning Hog Report because of confidentiality. However, we can see that only 715 head have traded. Pork cutouts total 182.66 loads with 146.84 loads of pork cuts and 35.82 loads of trim. Pork cutout values: up $0.10, $94.30.