As of Tuesday, large commodity index funds, called managed money, had extended their collective net long live cattle futures position for the fourth straight week, while hedgers built their total net short position. That conclusion came from position data released by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission Friday in its weekly Commitments of Traders report.   … Read More

Households in states that were temporarily distributing extra Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits experienced lower levels of food insufficiency during most of 2022 and early 2023 than those in states distributing standard SNAP amounts, according to the Household Pulse Survey (HPS) from the US Census Bureau. March 1 marked the end of those additional … Read More

At first glance, it appears fed and feeder cattle prices have reached record highs, but on an inflation-adjusted basis, prices have yet to surpass those of 2013-2015, said Dennis Elliott, Extension livestock economist at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, in a Livestock Marketing Information Center letter called In The Cattle Markets.   FOMC INFLUENCE   … Read More

Recent strains at some banks in the US and Europe are a powerful reminder of pockets of elevated financial vulnerabilities built over years of low rates, compressed volatility, and ample liquidity, said a blog by International Monetary Fund writers Antonio Garcia Pascual, Fabio Natalucci and Thomas Piontek. Such risks could intensify in coming months amid … Read More

Live cattle futures and cash markets established new highs in April, and markets remain strong long term, but a continued rally through the year may not be in the cards, said Colorado State University Agricultural Economist Stephen Koontz, in a Livestock Marketing Information Center letter called In The Cattle Markets. The April 2023 live cattle … Read More

Large commodity investment firms, called managed money in the trade, advanced their collective net long live cattle futures position in the week ended Tuesday as hedgers lengthened their total net short position. That conclusion came from the weekly Commitments of Traders report by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission Friday.   FUNDS KEEP BUYING CATTLE   … Read More

While a few areas of the contiguous 48 states received large rain totals last week, most of the country got only light rainfall, according to Thursday’s weekly drought monitor from the National Weather Service. Plus, Kansas, Nebraska, portions of central and western Texas and Oklahoma remained entrenched in extreme drought conditions, putting large swaths of … Read More