Monday Midday Livestock Market Summary - Weaker Tones Take Over the Complex

GENERAL COMMENTS:

Thus far, it's been a rather uneventful start to the week as traders are letting the livestock contracts drift lower into midday Monday. New showlists for the week are lower in Texas and Kansas, but higher in Nebraska. December corn is down 6 cents per bushel and December soybean meal is down $10.10. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is down 194.17 points and the NASDAQ is down 129.23 points.

LIVE CATTLE:

Without having great confidence in whether or not fundamental support will arise this week, traders are merely letting the live cattle contracts chop sideways into midday Monday. October live cattle are down $0.75 at $218.12, December live cattle are down $1.25 at $220.90 and February live cattle are down $1.02 at $223.27. Currently, the spot December live cattle contract is hovering above its 40-day moving average, but in order for the market to maintain its position above that threshold, it will be imperative that fundamental support arises sometime this week. The cash cattle market remains quiet at midday Monday. No bids or asking prices have been established yet this week. New showlists for the week are lower in Texas and Kansas, but higher in Nebraska. Trade will likely be delayed until the later half of the week again.

Boxed beef prices are higher: choice up $2.71 ($381.54) and select up $1.86 ($357.62) with a movement of 46 loads (24.92 loads of choice, 7.79 loads of select, 7.95 loads of trim and 5.33 loads of ground beef).

FEEDER CATTLE:

And in keeping with the live cattle complex, the feeder cattle contracts are also trading lower. October feeders down $2.22 at $332.70, November feeders down $1.82 at $330.15 and January feeders down $1.17 at $323.17. October is commonly known as "dead calf month" as the seasonal weather changes impose immense stress on freshly weaned calves. It's common that these unweaned calves will see a discount at sale barns as buyers know that their risk is high on those purchases.

LEAN HOGS :

And the lean hog complex is keeping with its uneventful, bleak tone as again today its contracts are trading lower. October lean hogs are up $0.47 at $78.70, December lean hogs are down $0.17 at $68.85 and February lean hogs are down $0.30 at $70.02. And until traders see a noticeable change in consumer demand, it's likely that the complex may merely chop sideways. The projected lean hog index for 9/25/2026 is down $0.55 at $81.21, and the actual index for 9/24/2026 is down $0.44 at $81.76. Hog prices are unavailable on the Daily Direct Morning Hog report because of confidentiality. However, we can see that only 306 head have traded and that the market's five-day rolling average now sits at $79.72. Pork cutouts total 139.40 loads, with 129.70 loads of pork cuts and 9.70 loads of trim. Pork cutout values: up $0.52, $87.26.