The August Live Cattle made an early attempt to rally and recover some of Tuesday’s late day losses on Wednesday, June 7, 2017. It made its high for the day at 124.925 right around the time the fedcattleexchange auction was to take place. The auction was postponed however, to Thursday as technical glitches with their website occurred. They updated the website and as usual with updates caused problems for users. Outside of the auction, there were some cash trades at $135.00 in Nebraska. All other regions were quiet. Boxed beef cutout values were firm on moderate to fairly good demand and moderate offerings. Choice cutouts were up $0.26 to $250.71 and select up $0.33 to $219.90 on 146 loads. The choice/ select spread is at $30.81. Wednesday’s estimated slaughter is 116,000, even with a week ago and above last year’s 111,000. Thursday could be an interesting day with the auction and possible cash trading outside the auction. A steady to higher cash trade could lead to a rally in the futures market; a lower cash trade could send futures lower as the large long position in the market could get rattled. A rally above the Wednesday high could lead to a test of resistance at 125.75 and then 127.45. Support is at 123.525 and then 121.45.
The August Feeder Cattle contract made an early attempt to trade past resistance at 156.025, reaching a high of 156.25 before reversing course with a late session collapse as it traded all the way down to support at 151.85. It traded down to the low of the day at 151.70, and found support here as it once again reversed course and made a run to upside. It traded just past resistance, reaching 156.05 and then dropping back and ended the session at 155.80. Feeder Cattle formed a hammer candlestick and a rally above the high could lead to a test of resistance at 158.80 and 159.70. A breakdown below the 8 DMA (154.775) could lead to a test of support at the 13 DMA (153.45) and then the support area by the 21DMA (151.975) and 151.85 (38.2% retracement level).
The July Lean Hogs had a fairly quiet choppy trading session as it traded within Tuesday’s trading range and formed a Doji candlestick. The low (80.75) is just above support at 80.45 and the high is below resistance (82.375). The past 4 trading sessions have been around this trading zone (June 2 high at 82.675 and June 6 low at 80.25). A trade above or below this range could lead to our next directional move. If July Hogs break down below the Tuesday low we could test lower levels of support. The 21 DMA is at 79.875. Support then comes in at 77.90. If it rallies past the Friday high, a test of resistance at 83.80 is possible.