Hog futures rebound after hitting four-month low - CME
Cattle futures near records as import fear fades
14 May 2026
1 minute read
By: Live cattle futures climbed on Wednesday and hovered near record highs on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) as concerns eased about potential plans by the Trump administration to facilitate more beef imports into the United States, Reuters reported, citing traders.
US beef prices set records this year as cattle supplies fell to a 75-year low, adding to concerns about affordability under President Donald Trump.
Trump's administration on Tuesday was "fine-tuning" potential presidential executive orders aimed at reducing domestic beef prices, a White House official said, after a delay in signing actions that were expected on Monday.
By Wednesday, traders shook off concerns about a policy shift that could clear the way for greater beef imports. They focused on strong cash prices for cattle and demand for beef instead.
"It sure seems to me that the cattle market has come to the view that the Trump administration is not going to be too aggressive on allowing more beef imports," said Dan Norcini, an independent livestock trader.
CME June live cattle closed up 5.1 cents at 252.800 cents per pound. August feeders jumped 4.375 cents to 360.925 cents per pound after falling earlier to the lowest level since March 27.
Beef prices have soared due to strong consumer demand and as the nation's cattle herd dwindled following a drought that burned up grazing lands in the western US and hiked feeding costs. The Trump administration also halted imports of Mexican cattle to keep out the New World screwworm parasite.
US cattle supplies will remain tight through 2026 and into 2027, Tyson Foods Chief Financial Officer Curt Calaway said at a BMO investor conference in New York. The retention of heifers for breeding, a critical step in rebuilding herds, was "spotty and regional" among producers, he said.
In CME's lean hog market, June futures rallied 2.45 cents to 100.875 cents per pound after dropping on Tuesday to the lowest price since December.
