A recent retreat in the cattle markets is due to funds backing off long positions, according to analysts

Traders are closely watching the cattle markets after an interesting couple of weeks. One advisor says he has been watching the funds back off long positions.

“You’re seeing what I think is some exit by funds. They’ve been strongly long in the cattle, and it flipped over last week. You’ve had weaker cutout values as well, and they’ve taken a pretty good hit this week. So, the combination of the two puts the market in motion. It uncovers Sell-Stop orders, which are sales that aren’t necessarily intended, but they happen when you’re either exiting a long position or establishing a new short position. So, you get a combination of things, and that’s why sometimes the market moves really fast. It’s because you’ve got different angles all coming together at one point,” said Bryan Doherty.

Doherty says despite all of the action, he is not concerned in the long run.

“I’m not concerned that there’s going to be a whole bunch of shorts coming in on the big-picture perspective. From the near-term picture perspective, I am concerned that there’s technical weakness in front of the market and money flow, but from the supply side, they just aren’t there, and the cattle inventory report this last week confirmed that we’re down one percent from last year. When does this herd stop shrinking? That’s a good question.”

This month’s Cattle on Feed report showed the herd down a percent from this time last year.

Related Stories
Janie spends a day in the life with Pilar Martinez,and helps with her variety of chores on the massive Centennial Ranch in Dillon, Montana.
RanchHER Host Janie Johnson goes behind the scenes with NRCHA Champion and Idaho Rancher Carmen Buckingham as she trains and raises cattle at her idyllic ranch.
RanchHER Season 2, Episode 9
Premieres Tue, 11/5/24 – 9 PM ET | 8 PM CT | 7 PM MT | 6 PM PT

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Cottage cheese sales are on the rise across the U.S., and industry leaders believe interest on social media is contributing to the surge in consumer demand.
A new proposal from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) could transform how farmers use drones, allowing commercial operators to fly beyond their visual line of sight.
“USDA can no longer keep wasting its time and personnel to deploy Commissioner Miller’s infamous traps, which USDA has deployed, tested, and has proven ineffective.”
Even in this strong market, some beef producers are leaving money on the table by not following proven marketing practices.
New U.S. fees on Chinese-owned and built ships took effect overnight, marking the latest escalation in maritime trade tensions between Washington and Beijing.
Agriculture Shows
Hosted by Scott “The Cow Guy” Shellady and RFD News Markets Specialist Tony St. James, Commodity Talk delivers expert insight into the day’s ag commodity markets just before the CME opens. Only on RFD-TV and Rural Radio SiriusXM Channel 147.
A look at the news, weather and commodities headlines that drove agriculture markets in the past week.
Everything profits from prairie. Soil, air, water — and all kinds of life! Learn how you can improve your land with prairie restoration, cover crops and prairie strips, while growing your bottom line.
From soil to harvest. Top Crop is an all-new series about four of the best farmers in the world—Dan Luepkes, of Oregan, Illinois; Cory Atley, of Cedarville, Ohio; Shelby Fite, of Jackson Center, Ohio; Russell Hedrick, of Hickory, North Carolina—reveals what it takes for them to make a profitable crop. It all starts with good soil, patience, and a strong planter setup.