LIVESTOCK-CME cattle futures fall as temperatures rise
CHICAGO, June 29 (Reuters) - Chicago Mercantile Exchange live and feeder cattle futures closed down on seasonal pressure, as higher temperatures put a few more cattle into a tight market, according to analysts.
"The hot weather makes people more willing sellers," said Cassie Fish, an independent analyst and author of The Beef blog.
"They don't want heavy cattle to stand out there panting," she said.
She said while boxed beef has been firming recently, traders are looking for it to weaken in July. "The futures market has gotten in front of it," she said.
Wholesale prices ticked up on Monday afternoon, with the USDA reporting that values for choice cuts rose $0.41 to $391.44 per hundredweight (cwt), while select cuts rose by $2.60 to $374.18 per cwt.
The USDA reported 107,000 cattle slaughtered on Monday, up from 106,000 a week ago.
CME benchmark August LCQ26 live cattle ended 2.250 cents lower at 243.575 cents per pound, while the lightly traded June contract LCM26 settled down 0.050 cent at $257.400 per pound.
CME August feeder cattle FCQ26 futures closed down 2.375 cents at 367.475 cents per pound.
Meanwhile in lean hogs, most-active August LHQ26 hogs settled 0.070 cent lower at 97.275 cents per pound.
In boxed pork, the USDA reported on Monday afternoon that carcasses rose $2.29 to $97.66 per cwt and bellies gained $8.97 to $120.93 per cwt.
