Monday Market Sentiment

Monday Market Sentiment: Weekly predictions may show market peak

Two consecutive weeks of losses have the cash market $3.63 per cwt lower than the last week of April. Beef packers have taken advantage of the high beef prices as they continue to improve with margins at nearly $50 per head last week. Wholesale beef prices continue to reach record highs, topping $210 Monday, but analysts are beginning to wonder if a peak has been reached. ... Full story.

Monday Market Sentiment: Packers reap rewards of high beef prices

Record beef prices and a slumping cash market have beef packers seeing positive profit margins. Those positive margins should continue as consumer demand for beef remains strong ahead of Memorial Day weekend. Packer margins will gain even more if our Monday Market Sentiment prediction is accurate. This week the panel expects cash trade to lose 49 cents totaling $125.75 per cwt. ... Full story.

Monday Market Sentiment: Steep losses expected after topping $129

Warmer weather in the forecast helped lift beef prices to record highs last week which in turn moved weekly average cash cattle prices above $129 per cwt for the first time since March 2012. Based on our Monday Market Sentiment panel’s weekly prediction, last week’s improvement is only temporary and lower prices will return this week. ... Full story.

Monday Market Sentiment: Cash prices improve more than expected

Cash cattle prices ended last week higher, moving $1.80 above the prediction set by our Monday Market Sentiment. Low supplies forced packers to buy as the week came to an end and warm weather added market support. Last week’s gains in the cash market, up $1.76 per cwt, ended two weeks of consecutive losses. Our Monday Market Sentiment panel expects the turnaround to continue another week, predicting an increase of 30 cents to 128.37 per cwt. ... Full story.

Monday Market Sentiment: Cash cattle market slipping

Beef cutout values provide some optimism for the cattle markets, but USDA reports from the past week show why industry experts are forecasting lower prices in the cash market. Last week’s 5-Area weighted average price was lower than our panel anticipated, dropping 85 cents over the past week and almost two dollars total over the past two weeks. With recent losses in mind, our Monday Market Sentiment panel expects the cash market to decline for a third consecutive week, losing an additional four cents and falling to $126.27 per cwt. ... Full story.

Monday Market Sentiment: Weather obstructs cattle, beef markets

Colder-than-expected weather continues to impede the cash market and beef demand with activity in the cash market not expected until mid-week. Cash and beef values both decreased last week and packers experienced steep negative margins as the week progressed. ... Full story.

Monday Market Sentiment: Beef prices direct cash market

The cash cattle market improved last week marking the second consecutive week of gains. The recent USDA crop planting intentions report and improved moisture have eased feeding concerns, but cooler weather at the start of the spring season and declining beef prices have traders cautious to start the week. ... Full story.

Monday Market Sentiment: Beef prices roll higher

Higher beef prices and recent losses in the corn market have beef packers and feedlot operators eyeing better profit margins. If weather cooperates this growing season, a recent USDA report shows 97.3 million acres of corn are expected to be planted soon. That amount is the largest planted acreage for corn since 1936. ... Full story.

Monday Market Sentiment: Cash market takes another hit

The cash cattle market declined for the third consecutive week, falling $3.03 in March. Despite lower market prices, traders remain confident with multiple factors pointing to a rebound. Last week’s Cattle on Feed report revealed the cattle supply available to beef packers is shrinking with further contraction expected. The report showed the number of young cattle sent to feedlots last month was 14 percent lower than a year earlier. ... Full story.

United States Cattle on Feed down 7 percent

Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 10.9 million head on March 1, 2013. ... Full story.

Monday Market Sentiment: Traders caught off guard by move lower

The cash market took a surprising turn last week closing over a dollar lower after snowstorms rushed the market higher in previous weeks. Traders expecting a week of higher trade based on continually high beef prices and strong export sales were surprised by the lower trade. ... Full story.

Monday Market Sentiment: Cash trade steady, uncertainty remains

Cash cattle remained steady last week, losing only two cents during the week. Traders are watching the market closely to see if the potential furlough of meat inspectors will shake the market. Our Monday Market Sentiment panel remains positive this week, forecasting an increase of 75 cents to $128.52 per cwt. ... Full story.