Live cattle futures are trading with $1.50 to $2 gains at midday. Cash trade has been quiet so far this week, with some northern bids at $216 and southern bids at $218. Feeder cattle futures are extending gains with contracts $3 to $4.52 higher at midday. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was up $5.42 to $337.78 on December 2.
Export Sales data for the week ending on October 30 showed 14,499 MT of beef sales in that week, a 4-week high. Shipments were an 8 week low of 10,249 MT.
