# HPAI uncertainty leads to major futures selloff | Western Livestock Journal

> Live cattle futures fell sharply over the week, with the April contract down about $3.50 to $181.47 and June down $4.40 to $175.85. The selloff followed concern about HPAI spreading in dairy cattle, and cash trade and slaughter were lower than the prior week. Traders have pulled back, and analysts say the market has not shaken off uncertainty.

- Date: 2024-04-05 · published 2024-04-05T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: disease · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/6735-hpai-uncertainty-leads-to-major-futures-selloff-western-livestock-journal
- Commodities: [Live Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/LCATTLE.md), [Feeder Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/FCATTLE.md)

## Why it matters

Fear of avian flu in livestock pushed cattle futures down despite unchanged bullish fundamentals, which lowers the value of cattle-based protein inputs. Lower slaughter and cash trade suggest softer near-term pricing.

## Read by commodity

- FCATTLE: bearish ▼
- LCATTLE: bearish ▼

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| LCATTLE | 2020-03-02 | [Markets fall apart on virus fear \| Western Livestock Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/5308-markets-fall-apart-on-virus-fear-western-livestock-journal.md) | -5.1% | -9.3% |
| LCATTLE | 2020-05-15 | [The divergence in beef marketing margins \| Western Livestock Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/53256-the-divergence-in-beef-marketing-margins-western-livestock-journal.md) | +6.2% | +5.2% |
| LCATTLE | 2024-05-03 | [Bovine flu still adding pressure in the marketplace \| Western Livestock Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/5413-bovine-flu-still-adding-pressure-in-the-marketplace-western-livestock-journal.md) | +0.2% | +3.2% |
| LCATTLE | 2024-04-05 | [Pete's Comments: April Fools’ Day \| Western Livestock Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/6737-pete-s-comments-april-fools-day-western-livestock-journal.md) | -1.0% | -2.4% |
| LCATTLE | 2020-04-02 | [U.S. livestock: Hog futures drop to 3-1/2 year low - Grainews](https://feedsoft.ai/events/6598-u-s-livestock-hog-futures-drop-to-3-1-2-year-low-grainews.md) | -5.8% | -13.4% |
| FCATTLE | 2020-03-02 | [Markets fall apart on virus fear \| Western Livestock Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/5308-markets-fall-apart-on-virus-fear-western-livestock-journal.md) | -0.4% | -8.1% |
| FCATTLE | 2020-05-15 | [The divergence in beef marketing margins \| Western Livestock Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/53256-the-divergence-in-beef-marketing-margins-western-livestock-journal.md) | +1.8% | +5.9% |
| FCATTLE | 2020-04-02 | [U.S. livestock: Hog futures drop to 3-1/2 year low - Grainews](https://feedsoft.ai/events/6598-u-s-livestock-hog-futures-drop-to-3-1-2-year-low-grainews.md) | +2.1% | +1.5% |

## Sources

- wlj.net: https://www.wlj.net/hpai-uncertainty-leads-to-major-futures-selloff/

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