DTN Midday Livestock Comments          08/06 11:50

   Pressure Builds for the Livestock Complex

   Bids are on the table in the fed cash cattle market at mostly $235 live, but 
no new sales have been spotted.

ShayLe Stewart
DTN Livestock Analyst

GENERAL COMMENTS:

   The livestock complex has been hit with some pressure and currently all 
three of the markets are trading lower. Bids are on the table for most of the 
major feeding states, but no new trade has been noted following Wednesday's 
movement. December corn is down 1 1/4 cents per bushel and December soybean 
meal is up $0.10. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is down 327.18 points and 
NASDAQ is down 46.20 points.

LIVE CATTLE:

   The live cattle contracts are mildly retreating Thursday morning as traders 
aren't confident that the market possesses enough support to challenge the 
market's resistance at its 40-day moving average. August live cattle are down 
$2.02 at $232.10, October live cattle are down $3.72 at $225.72 and December 
live cattle are down $3.32 at $225.35. And in terms of the cash cattle market, 
bids are on the table, and trade is merely waiting to cut loose at this point. 
There was a light trade on Wednesday at $370 in Nebraska (which is $3 higher 
than last week's weighted average), but otherwise, no new trade has developed. 
Asking prices are firm in the South at $235.

   Boxed beef prices are mixed: choice down $5.10 ($362.87) and select up $0.97 
($349.03) with a movement of 81 loads (58.63 loads of choice, 14.34 loads of 
select, zero loads of trim and 8.13 loads of ground beef).

FEEDER CATTLE:

   The feeder cattle complex is again following the direction of the live 
cattle contracts, and so, as one goes down, so goes the other. August feeders 
are down $3.40 at $349.92, September feeders are down $4.67 at $343.57 and 
October feeders are down $5.75 at $333.67. And just like the live cattle 
complex, it's likely the market's technical barrier at its 40-day moving 
average is causing the market grief right now.

LEAN HOGS:

   And with pork cutout values down again Thursday morning, it comes as no real 
surprise that the lean hog contracts are trading lower. August lean hogs are 
down $0.80 at $95.80, October lean hogs are down $1.07 at $81.95 and December 
lean hogs are down $1.30 at $73.35. But with both the ham and the picnic 
falling more than $4 lower, it's no wonder the carcass price is being pulled 
lower. The projected lean hog index for 8/5/2026 is down $0.29 at $96.66 and 
the actual index for 8/4/2026 is down $0.22 at $96.95. Hog prices are 
unavailable on the Daily Direct Morning Hog Report due to confidentiality. 
However, we can see that only 1,001 head have traded Thursday morning and that 
the market's five-day rolling average now sits at $99.37. Pork cutouts total 
133.42 loads with 114.79 loads of pork cuts and 18.63 loads of trim. Pork 
cutout values: down $1.56, $99.49.

   ShayLe Stewart can be reached shayle.stewart@dtn.com




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