# CME update: cattle futures dive on coronavirus pandemic
						 | The Cattle Site

> US cattle futures fell by their daily limits for a second session as recession fears grew during the coronavirus pandemic. April live cattle closed at 92.825 cents per pound and feeder cattle contracts hit limit-down levels. The choice boxed beef cutout dropped $20.93 to $232.64 per cwt.

- Date: 2020-04-02 · published 2020-04-02T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: macro · region US · magnitude high
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/6287-cme-update-cattle-futures-dive-on-coronavirus-pandemic-the-cattle-site
- Commodities: [Live Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/LCATTLE.md), [Feeder Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/FCATTLE.md)

## Why it matters

Falling boxed beef and weaker packer demand are pushing cash cattle lower, reducing feeder cattle values and signaling weaker demand for feed.

## Read by commodity

- FCATTLE: bearish ▼
- LCATTLE: bearish ▼

## Linked price moves

| Commodity | Date | Window | Change % | z-score | Why linked |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| LCATTLE | 2020-04-05 | 5 | -9.3% | -4.3 | Live cattle futures fell limit-down for a second session on April 2 amid recession fears and a sharp drop in the boxed beef cutout, which is the core of the 5-day decline. |
| LCATTLE | 2020-04-06 | 5 | -11.3% | -5.0 | Second consecutive limit-down session on recession fears and a $20.93 fall in the boxed beef cutout explain the sharp futures slide. |
| LCATTLE | 2020-04-06 | 1 | -6.0% | -4.4 | Second consecutive limit-down session on recession fears and a falling boxed beef cutout reflects sentiment-driven selling that preceded the April 6 decline. |

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| LCATTLE | 2026-05-29 | [Cattle futures slip on fuel price demand fears - CME
						 \| The Beef Site](https://feedsoft.ai/events/19391-cattle-futures-slip-on-fuel-price-demand-fears-cme-the-beef-site.md) | -0.8% | +1.4% |
| LCATTLE | 2022-09-23 | [Cattle, hog futures sag on macroeconomic concerns - CME
						 \| The Pig Site](https://feedsoft.ai/events/39718-cattle-hog-futures-sag-on-macroeconomic-concerns-cme-the-pig-site.md) | +0.4% | +3.0% |
| LCATTLE | 2022-06-23 | [Hog, live cattle futures fall on recession fears - CME
						 \| The Beef Site](https://feedsoft.ai/events/41079-hog-live-cattle-futures-fall-on-recession-fears-cme-the-beef-site.md) | +0.6% | -0.7% |
| LCATTLE | 2023-05-03 | [US live cattle hit five-week low - CME
						 \| The Cattle Site](https://feedsoft.ai/events/5155-us-live-cattle-hit-five-week-low-cme-the-cattle-site.md) | -0.6% | +2.0% |
| LCATTLE | 2020-02-26 | [Cattle Markets Experience Losses Amid Coronavirus Fears
						 \| The Cattle Site](https://feedsoft.ai/events/12060-cattle-markets-experience-losses-amid-coronavirus-fears-the-cattle-site.md) | -4.2% | -8.0% |
| FCATTLE | 2026-05-29 | [Cattle futures slip on fuel price demand fears - CME
						 \| The Beef Site](https://feedsoft.ai/events/19391-cattle-futures-slip-on-fuel-price-demand-fears-cme-the-beef-site.md) | +0.1% | +4.8% |
| FCATTLE | 2022-09-23 | [Cattle, hog futures sag on macroeconomic concerns - CME
						 \| The Pig Site](https://feedsoft.ai/events/39718-cattle-hog-futures-sag-on-macroeconomic-concerns-cme-the-pig-site.md) | -1.2% | -1.5% |
| FCATTLE | 2023-05-03 | [US live cattle hit five-week low - CME
						 \| The Cattle Site](https://feedsoft.ai/events/5155-us-live-cattle-hit-five-week-low-cme-the-cattle-site.md) | -0.0% | +16.1% |

## Sources

- thecattlesite.com: https://www.thecattlesite.com/news/55104/cme-update-cattle-futures-dive-on-coronavirus-pandemic

---
Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.