CME hog futures edge down on profit taking
By Heather Schlitz
CHICAGO, Oct 31 (Reuters) -Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures pulled back from contract highs on Thursday as traders booked profits ahead of the end of a month, traders said.
Traders were also guarding against risks from a potential downturn in U.S. pork cutout values.
Live cattle and feeder cattle futures ticked down on weakening boxed beef values.
Hog futures have staged a monthslong rally driven by an unexpectedly low number of slaughter-ready hogs and unusually strong demand.
"There's caution on how much longer this rally can continue," said Dan Norcini, independent livestock trader. "If the pork cutout starts to weaken, which it usually does this time of year, there are a lot of long positions that could lead to long liquidation."
Wholesale pork values rose across all cutouts in keeping with a multi-month trend of strong pork prices, U.S. Department of Agriculture data showed on Thursday afternoon.
CME December lean hog futures LHZ24 hit a contract high of 84.675 cents per pound before settling down 0.575 cents at 83.8 cents per pound.
December live cattle LCZ24 ended down 0.125 cents at 186.3 cents per pound, while November feeder cattle futures FCX24 settled down 0.125 cents at 245.375 cents per pound.
The choice boxed beef cutout fell $1.84 to $317.60 per hundredweight, the USDA reported Thursday afternoon. Select boxed beef prices dropped $3.95 to $285.37 per cwt.
Though traders have warned that U.S. consumers may pare back purchases of beef due to high prices, economic data has showed strong consumer spending and low unemployment.
The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits fell to a five-month low last week and consumer spending increased more than expected in September, showcasing the economy's strength heading into the final stretch of 2024.
Reporting by Heather Schlitz; Editing by Shailesh Kuber
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