“Pishkun”: April Live Cattle

John LunneyGeneral Commentary

   April Live Cattle   Back in the day hunters herded and drove bison over a cliff. The Blackfoot Indians called this method “pishkun”, which loosely translate as “deep blood kettle”. To me it would seem appropriate to use this term to describe what took place in the cattle market at the end of last week when it failed to …

Livestock Report

Ben DiCostanzoGeneral Commentary, Livestock

Live Cattle The June Live Cattle contract made another new low (100.775) for the down move on Monday, April 2, 2018. It one again made an early attempt to rally that failed. It traded to 103.825, just below the low end of the 104.20 – 104.85 resistance zone. Once again the rally failed; and it broke down and traded to …

Grain Spreads

Sean LuskGrains

Soy Complex Last Thursday’s crop report resulted in major surprises for not only soybeans but for corn and spring wheat as well. Given that the report was at month and quarter end and in front of a three day weekend, the volatility following its 11 am release didn’t disappoint. The big surprise was the cut in prospective soybean acres for …

AG Outlook

John WalshGrains

The Soy complex struggled today, led by beans and meal. The USDA report surprised with acreage. A question. Historically high carry , with historically high prices relative to stocks, and we will plant less. OK, Looking forward. The Bean Carry with a trend yield and a decent growing season will still net a 500 carry. the Next SA crop will …

Rocky Road: Us 30 yr Bond Futures

John LunneyGeneral Commentary

      30 Year Bond Futures      According to one source, the flavor of the popular ice cream was created in March 1929 by Joseph Edy’s business partner William Dreyer in Oakland, Ca . After the market crash of 1929 Dreyer and Edy gave the flavor its current name “to give folks something to smile about in the …

Livestock Report

Ben DiCostanzoGrains, Livestock

Live Cattle The June Live Cattle contract made another new low for the down move on Wednesday, March 27, 2018. It traded down to 104.50, near the low end of the 104.85 – 104.20 support zone. It rallied off the new low to the high of the day at 106.425, just above resistance (106.025). Once again the rally failed; as …

Grain Spreads

Sean LuskGeneral Commentary

Wheat/Corn Tomorrow at 11 am the USDA will release its prospective plantings and quarterly stocks estimate for it annual end of quarter report. Pre-report planting average trade guesses come in as follows for wheat. All wheat acres at 46.5 million vs 46 last year. Winter wheat 32.5, durum 2.3, spring wheat 11.5. Average est. for all wheat stocks as of …

Gold Pulls off Monthly Highs

Michael BullionCurrencies, Precious Metals

Gold retreated today in a continuation from Tuesday, falling from monthly highs seen on Monday.  Markets seem to be getting more comfortable with trade negotiations and geopolitical risks as Trump has been willing to negotiate with individual countries, and there are even inklings that North Korea may be amenable to denuclearization.  This is turn strengthened the US dollar and further …

Livestock Report

Ben DiCostanzoGeneral Commentary, Livestock

Live Cattle The June Live Cattle contract down move stalled on Tuesday, March 27, 2018. It opened (105.325) above the 104.85 – 104.20 support zone, traded to the low of the day at 104.90 and then rallied above resistance (106.025) to the high of the day at 106.675. The high was reached in the last 10 minutes before settlement. The …

The Good the Bad and the Ugly: April Live cattle

John LunneyGeneral Commentary

April Live Cattle        The 1966 spaghetti western spun a tail of a bounty hunting scam which  joins two men in an uneasy alliance against a third in a race to find a fortune in gold buried in a remote cemetery. When it comes  to the April Live Cattle I’d have to express a a similar unease concerning the …