Live cattle saw Friday gains of $1.50 to $2.50, with February up $1.90 last week. Open interest was down 3,090 contracts. The Friday Fed Cattle Exchange online auction showed $242-243 sales on 761 of the 1,602 head offered. Cash trade picked up to $240-241 in the north and $242-245 in the south. Feeder cattle futures were up 90 cents to $3.35 in the front months on Friday, with March up $7.15 last week. OI slipped 1,320 contracts on Friday. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was back down 69 cents to $374.47 on February 5.
On Friday, President Trump signed an executive order to raise the TRQ on beef imports from Argentina by 80,000 MT, a move signaled last fall. For reference average monthly imports of beef from all destinations in 2025 was 151,666 MT.
The weekly Commitment of Traders report showed a total of 8,846 contracts added to the managed money net long position in live cattle futures and options as of 2/3, taking the net long to 114,531 contracts. In Feeder cattle futures and options, specs were trimming 194 contracts from the spec net long to 16,435 contracts.
Wholesale Boxed Beef prices were higher in the Friday afternoon report, with the Chc/Sel spread narrowing to $4.80. Choice boxes were up $2.08 to $369.33, while Select was $4.16 higher at $364.53. USDA reported federally inspected cattle slaughter for last week at 536,000 head. That is 8,000 head above last week but 46,606 head shy of the same week last year.
Feb 26 Live Cattle closed at $237.750, up $2.500,
Apr 26 Live Cattle closed at $237.250, up $1.650,
Jun 26 Live Cattle closed at $233.850, up $1.650,
Mar 26 Feeder Cattle closed at $367.425, up $3.350,
Apr 26 Feeder Cattle closed at $362.800, up $2.300,
May 26 Feeder Cattle closed at $357.125, up $0.925,
