Large commodity index funds, known as managed money, took on a larger collective net long live cattle futures position during the week ended Tuesday as hedgers boosted their total net short position.
The data came from the weekly Commitments of Traders report from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission on Friday.
FUNDS GET LONGER CATTLE
As of Tuesday, managed money had a cumulative net long cattle position of 36,026 contracts, up 2,790, or 8.39%, from 33,236 a week earlier. The move ended a three-week period of declines in their total net long position.
Hedgers, known in the futures trade as commercial traders, had a total net short position Tuesday of 93,360 contracts, up 478, or 0.51%, from 92,882 a week earlier. The move reversed a three-week period of declines in their total net short position.
The CFTC said managed money arrived at their new cattle position by liquidating 3,149 long positions, covering 5,939 short positions and putting on 1,883 new spread positions. This left them holding 23.1% of total long open interest, 9.3% of total short open interest and 14.6% of total spread open interest.
Commercial traders got to where they were Tuesday by adding 812 long positions and 1,290 short positions, leaving them with 14.1% of total long open interest and 49.7% of total short open interest.
The CME Group said total live cattle open interest Tuesday was 266,471 contracts, up 3,697, or 1.41%, from 262,774 a week earlier.
The CME Group also said the most-active Dec contract rose in value during the CFTC reporting week to settle Tuesday at $149.77 per cwt, compared with $148.57.
FUNDS GET SHORTER CORN
Tuesday, managed money had a collective net long corn position of 239,358 contracts, down 15,195, or 5.97%, from 254,553 a week earlier.
At the same time, commercials had a total net short corn position of 472,170 contracts, down 4,999, or 1.05%, from 477,169 a week earlier.
The CFTC said managed money arrived at their new corn position by liquidating 9,356 long positions, adding 5,839 short positions and putting on 7,971 new spread positions. This left them in control of 20.0% of total long open interest, 3.1% of total short open interest and 10.5% of total spread open interest.
Commercials got to where they were Tuesday by liquidating 7,141 long positions and covering 12,140 short positions.
The CME Group said total corn open interest Tuesday was 1.427 million contracts, up 18,347, or 1.30%, from 1.409 million a week earlier.
The CME Group also reported that the most-active Dec contract declined in value during the CFTC reporting week, settling Tuesday at $6.81 a bushel, compared with $6.93.
CATTLE, BEEF RECAP
The USDA reported formula and contract base prices for live FOB steers and heifers last week ranged from $143.40 to $149.16 per cwt, compared with the previous week’s range of $144.00 to $148.91. FOB dressed steers, and heifers went for $227.15 to $232.17 per cwt, versus $225.42 to $230.93.
The USDA choice cutout Friday was up $0.09 per cwt at $253.71 while select was up $2.28 at $224.36. The choice/select spread narrowed to $29.35 from $31.54 with 68 loads of fabricated product and 26 loads of trimmings and grinds sold into the spot market.
The USDA said basis bids for corn from feeders in the Southern Plains were unchanged at $2.10 to $2.25 a bushel over the Dec futures and for southwest Kansas were steady at $1.00 over Dec, which settled at $6.84 1/4, up 1/4.
No live cattle contracts were tendered for delivery Friday.
The CME Feeder Cattle Index for the seven days ended Wednesday was $172.77 per cwt up $0.74. This compares with Thursday’s Oct contract settlement of $175.57, up $0.35.