# Cattle Outlook: Unemployment Decline Good for Meat Demand
						 | The Cattle Site

> Third quarter US GDP grew 2.9 percent and the October unemployment rate fell to 4.9 percent, which analysts see as supportive of meat demand. Fed cattle prices rose for a third straight week, with the 5-area steer average at $104.47/cwt, while the choice cutout gained to $189.02.

- Date: 2016-11-07 · published 2016-11-07T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: macro · region US · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/73969-cattle-outlook-unemployment-decline-good-for-meat-demand-the-cattle-site
- Commodities: [Feeder Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/FCATTLE.md), [Live Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/LCATTLE.md)

## Why it matters

Stronger consumer demand and firmer cutout values support fed cattle prices, though prices remain well below year-ago levels and feeder cattle still face pressure from heavy feeding losses.

## Read by commodity

- FCATTLE: neutral
- LCATTLE: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| FCATTLE | 2019-01-19 | [Market Outlook 2019: So far, so good - Progressive Cattle \| Ag Proud](https://feedsoft.ai/events/61220-market-outlook-2019-so-far-so-good-progressive-cattle-ag-proud.md) | +1.4% | +1.6% |
| FCATTLE | 2025-05-23 | [Beef Demand – The Key to Cattle Prices \| Farm Bureau Intel Markets \| American Farm Bureau Federation](https://feedsoft.ai/events/24800-beef-demand-the-key-to-cattle-prices-farm-bureau-intel-markets-american-farm.md) | +1.2% | +2.5% |
| FCATTLE | 2026-08-01 | [Economist sees growing risk for tighter feeder cattle margins in 2027](https://feedsoft.ai/events/18480-economist-sees-growing-risk-for-tighter-feeder-cattle-margins-in-2027.md) | +1.0% | -7.8% |
| FCATTLE | 2025-10-29 | [Economics of U.S. Beef and Cattle Market \| Farm Bureau Intel Markets \| American Farm Bureau Federation](https://feedsoft.ai/events/22524-economics-of-u-s-beef-and-cattle-market-farm-bureau-intel-markets-american-farm.md) | -2.7% | -10.8% |
| FCATTLE | 2020-04-06 | [Examining COVID-19’s effect on cattle markets](https://feedsoft.ai/events/53772-examining-covid-19-s-effect-on-cattle-markets.md) | +6.3% | +10.0% |
| LCATTLE | 2023-04-28 | [Long-Term Outlook Bullish for Cattle Into 2025](https://feedsoft.ai/events/36525-long-term-outlook-bullish-for-cattle-into-2025.md) | -4.4% | -3.3% |
| LCATTLE | 2022-05-25 | [What's in Store for the 2022 Feeder Cattle Market?](https://feedsoft.ai/events/5071-what-s-in-store-for-the-2022-feeder-cattle-market.md) | -1.3% | +3.1% |
| LCATTLE | 2024-09-19 | [What is Next for the Cattle Markets? - ProAg](https://feedsoft.ai/events/28453-what-is-next-for-the-cattle-markets-proag.md) | +1.9% | +3.8% |

## Sources

- thecattlesite.com: https://www.thecattlesite.com/news/50344/cattle-outlook-unemployment-decline-good-for-meat-demand

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