Beef futures climb on tight supply, strong demand - CME
Hog prices dip slightly despite modest futures rebound
25 August 2025
2 minute read
By: Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) cattle futures closed higher on Friday as a tight supply of cattle, higher boxed beef prices and resilient consumer demand for beef propelled futures higher, Reuters reported, citing analysts.
CME October live cattle futures rose 3.15 cents to settle at 237.875 cents per pound. September feeder cattle rose 4.65 cents to settle at 362.675 cents per pound.
The US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) monthly Cattle on Feed report, released after the market's close, showed the numbers of cattle on feed and marketed were in line with analysts expectations.
A historically low supply of cattle, which has been further constrained by the closure of the US-Mexico border to feeder cattle imports, has fuelled a rally in cattle futures.
Screwworm, a parasitic fly that eats livestock and wildlife alive, has moved north in Mexico toward the US border and prompted the USDA to cut off Mexican cattle imports.
The choice boxed beef cutout value was last up 5 cents to $407.91 per hundredweight (cwt), according to USDA data. The select beef cutout was up 6 cents to $383.66 per hundredweight.
Though beef prices have surged to near-record highs, consumer demand has remained resilient, with increased retail demand ahead of the US Labor Day holiday also supporting prices.
Lean hog futures ended slightly lower as CME October lean hogs rose 1.275 cents to settle at 91.2 cents per pound.
