DTN Midday Livestock Comments          08/01 11:51

   Livestock Traders Regain Their Focus

   Some live sales have been reported in the South at $235 to $236, but no more 
dressed trade has developed yet.

ShayLe Stewart
DTN Livestock Analyst

GENERAL COMMENTS:

   The cattle complex has regained its footing following Thursday's disgruntled 
tailspin, which sent the contracts plummeting lower. But thankfully, by the fed 
cash cattle market's grace, and continued support of seeing higher sales, 
traders have regained their focus. A few deals have been noted in the South 
this morning, but no new dressed cattle sales have been reported. September 
corn is down 3 1/2 cents per bushel and August soybean meal is up $5.00. The 
Dow Jones Industrial Average is down 450.43 points and the NASDAQ is down 
362.84 points.

LIVE CATTLE:

   Following Thursday's technical turbulence, the live cattle complex is back 
to trading higher as traders are pleased to see the fed cash cattle market 
trading higher. A light trade has been reported in Kansas at $236, which is 
$1.00 higher than Thursday's trade and $3.00 higher than last week's weighted 
average. A few deals have also been reported in Texas at $235, which is fully 
steady with Thursday's trade. Asking prices remain firm in the South at $236 
plus and in the North at $384 plus. More trade will likely develop throughout 
the afternoon, and once again, feedlot managers have been rewarded for their 
patient willingness to trade cattle later in the week as packers have upped 
their bids. August live cattle are up $2.67 at $230.32, October live cattle are 
up $0.77 at $223.92 and December live cattle are up $0.70 at $224.70.

   Boxed beef prices are mixed: choice up $2.83 ($364.15) and select down $0.77 
($340.60) with a movement of 43 loads (25.12 loads of choice, 6.28 loads of 
select, zero loads of trim and 11.59 loads of ground beef).

FEEDER CATTLE:

   The feeder cattle complex is also trading higher as traders have regained 
their focus from sheer panic and chaos, to one that's clearer and more stable, 
and is fixated on the current thriving performance of the cattle complex. 
August feeders are up $2.77 at $334.15, September feeders are up $2.12 at 
$333.67 and October feeders are up $1.55 at $331.72. Even though the futures 
complex dived lower Thursday afternoon, that hasn't affected demand in the 
countryside whatsoever.

LEAN HOGS:

   The lean hog complex is trading higher into Friday's noon hour as traders 
are pleased with the uptick in pork demand late this week and are also grateful 
for the stability found throughout the futures complex, as traders have seemed 
to establish a new bottom in the market for at least this current move. August 
lean hogs are up $0.12 at $107.25, October lean hogs are up $0.40 at $89.97 and 
December lean hogs are up $0.35 at $82.07. Given that packers were so 
aggressive in the market earlier this week, it's unlikely that they'll do much 
more buying this afternoon, as their needs are fulfilled in the cash sector.

   The projected lean hog index for 7/31/2025 is down $0.11 at $110.26, and the 
actual index for 7/30/2025 is down $0.14 at $110.37. Hog prices are lower on 
the Daily Direct Morning Hog Report, down $2.72 with a weighted average price 
of $109.10, ranging from $98.00 to $114.50 on 1,435 head and a five-day rolling 
average of $112.63. Pork cutouts total 212.55 loads with 190.79 loads of pork 
cuts and 21.76 loads of trim. Pork cutout values: up $3.44, $117.44.

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




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