Live cattle futures are up 12 cents in the front month June contracts, with others down 30 to 40 cents. Cash trade was mostly $260-265 in the South last week, with northern trade at $408-415 dressed and up to $265 live. Feeder cattle futures are down $2 to $2.35, with May slipping 15 cents. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was down $3.14 to $370.09 on May 14.
China has renewed expired export licenses for more than 400 US beef plants after letting them lapse. On Sunday, the White House released a fact sheet on the US/China talks from last week, in part stating that “China will purchase at least $17 billion per year of U.S. agricultural products in 2026 (prorated), 2027, and 2028, in addition to the soybean purchase commitments that it made in October 2025.”
