Loading…
CME cattle futures fell on May 1, 2024 after reports that USDA was testing retail ground beef for H5N1 bird flu, which investors feared would hurt consumer demand. June live cattle closed about 1.1 cents lower and August feeders fell 3.75 cents, both to multi-week lows.
Lean hogs and boxed beef also declined.
Fear of H5N1 contamination in beef can cut retail and wholesale demand and pull futures lower even without confirmed positives. Feeder and live cattle prices fall with it, which affects feed buyers' cattle-feeding margins.
marketscreener.comReutersMay 1, 2024After 70 past bearish disease events, LCATTLE moved a median +0.0% over 5 sessions (51% higher; middle half -1.7% to +1.0%), and +0.4% over 20.
After 46 past bearish disease events, FCATTLE moved a median +0.3% over 5 sessions (54% higher; middle half -2.3% to +1.6%), and +1.8% over 20.
After 117 past bearish disease events, HOGS moved a median -0.6% over 5 sessions (36% higher; middle half -2.2% to +1.6%), and +1.2% over 20.
Moves of each commodity's benchmark from the last close before the event. Historical reads pool past events of the same kind; they describe what happened, not what will. Not investment advice.
On May 1, reports that USDA was testing retail ground beef for H5N1 sparked fears of weaker consumer demand, sending June live cattle to multi-week lows, which matches the timing and direction of the move.
USDA ground beef H5N1 testing news hit cattle futures on May 1, a day after the move, but it reflects the same demand-fear sentiment already weighing on the market.
