Managed money, a proxy for large commodity index funds, continued selling live cattle futures in the week ended last Tuesday, Dec. 5, as hedgers bought a few extra contracts.
The weekly Commitments of Traders report from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission showed the changes in major trader groups.
FUNDS SELL CATTLE
Last Tuesday, managed money had a collective net long live cattle futures position of 26,889 contracts, down 5,802, or 17.7%, from 32,691 a week earlier. It was their smallest position since July 19, 2022, when it was 13,823 contracts.
At the same time, hedgers, called commercial traders since they deal in the actual cattle, had a total net short live cattle position of 89,775 contracts, down 1,136, or 1.25%, from 90,911 a week earlier. It was their smallest net short position since July 19, 2022, when it was short by 82,135 contracts.
The CFTC said managed money arrived at their new cattle position by liquidating 7,283 long positions, covering 1,481 short positions and putting on 1,252 spread positions. This left them holding 16.5% of total long open interest, 6.3% of total short open interest and 16.9% of total spread open interest.
Commercials got to where they were by adding 458 long positions and covering 678 short positions, leaving them in charge of 18.1% of total long open interest and 51.9% of total short open interest.
The CME Group said total live cattle open interest last Tuesday was 263,393 contracts, down 12,372, or 4.49%, from 275,765 a week earlier.
The most-active Feb live cattle contract declined in the CFTC-reporting week, settling at $167.07 per cwt, versus $176.07.
FUNDS, COMMERCIALS BUY CORN
Last Tuesday, managed money had a collective net short Chicago corn position of 156,828 contracts, down 55,195, or 21.2%, from 212,023 a week earlier.
Meanwhile, commercial traders had a total net short corn position of 53,736 contracts, up 42,772, or 390.1%, from 10,964 a week earlier.
The CFTC said managed money arrived at their new corn position by adding 25,472 long positions, covering 29,723 short positions and putting on 7,197 spread positions. This left them in charge of 14.4% of total long open interest, 26.9% of total short open interest and 13.8% of total spread open interest.
Commercials got to their new position by liquidating 37,538 long positions and adding 5,234 short positions, leaving them with 29.9% of total long open interest and 34.2% of total short open interest.
The CME Group said total corn open interest last Tuesday was 1.255 million contracts, down from 1.342 million a week earlier.
The most-active Mar contract rose in the CFTC reporting week, settling last Tuesday at $4.90 ½ a bushel, compared with $4.73 ½ a week earlier.
CATTLE, BEEF RECAP
The USDA reported formula and contract base prices for live FOB steers and heifers this week ranged from $171.53 per cwt to $171.74, compared with last week’s range of $172.57 to $180.00 per cwt. FOB dressed steers, and heifers went for $272.39 per cwt to $273.26, compared with $274.30 to $279.24.
The USDA choice cutout Monday was up $2.42 per cwt at $290.43 while select was up $1.64 at $259.54. The choice/select spread widened to $30.89 from $30.11 with 101 loads of fabricated product and 32 loads of trimmings and grinds sold into the spot market.
The USDA said basis bids for corn from feeders in the Southern Plains were up $0.03 to $0.05 at $1.25 to $1.38 a bushel over the Mar corn contract, which settled at $4.81 1/2 a bushel, down $0.04.
No delivery intentions were posted for Dec live cattle Monday.
The CME Feeder Cattle Index for the seven days ended Friday was $218.37 per cwt, down $1.67. This compares with Monday’s Jan contract settlement of $217.96, up $2.65.