Live cattle futures are up $1.22 to 1.40 so far on Friday. A few cash sales in the north have been reported at $215-220 this week, with most on the higher side of that range, and $224 in the South. The Friday morning Fed Cattle Exchange online auction showed no sales on the 1,668 head with bids of $218-220 live. Feeder cattle futures are 27 cents to $1.60 higher at midday. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was up $1.14 to $341.16 on November 19.
Late on Thursday, President Trump removed the 40% tariff on Brazilian beef imports (now at 26.4% with the active tariff rate quota), retroactive to November 13.
