DTN Closing Livestock Comment 07/31 15:14

DTN Closing Livestock Comment 07/31 15:14 August Lean Hogs Churn Higher, Cattle Contracts Subdued Futures trading for the month of July came to a close Monday afternoon without much fanfare for the livestock markets, which are mostly stuck on a sideways trajectory. This meant lower prices for deferred lean hog contracts and for live cattle futures to stay off their recent highs. Elaine Kub Contributing Analyst GENERAL COMMENTS: Mild losses stalked the livestock futures markets through the Monday session, although feeder cattle contracts and some of the nearby lean hog contracts were able to end the day with gains. Bids and asking prices haven't been established for this week's cash cattle market, but last week was marked at mostly $179 in the South and $294 in the North. The National Direct Afternoon Hog Report showed purchased swine prices up $1.24 to a weighted average of $101.71 on 1,483 head. Prices ranged from $90 to $108, and the 5-day rolling average is now $105.56. September corn moved down 17 cents to $5.04 per bushel and August soybean meal closed down $4.00 per ton to $451.20. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 100.90 points and the NASDAQ was up 6.07 points.