Lean hogs posted mixed action on the Thursday close, with contracts anywhere from 57 cents lower to 22 cents higher. The national average base hog price was reported at $82.70 on Thursday afternoon, down $2.10 from the previous day. The CME Lean Hog Index was reported at $85.78 on October 29, up 5 cents from the day prior. 

Pork export sales totaled 44,838 MT in the week of October 24, a 3-week high. Mexico was the top buyer of 17,700 MT, with 10,400 MT sold to China. Export shipments totaled 32,268 MT, slightly above last week’s total. Of that total, 11,400 MT was to Mexico, with 4,100 MT to Japan. 

USDA’s FOB plant pork cutout value was up $1.54 from the day prior in the Thursday PM report at $103.15 per cwt. All primals were reported higher, with the picnic leading the way, up $3.95. USDA estimated Thursday’s FI hog slaughter at 486,000 head, with the week to date total at 1.950 million head. That is 2,000 head below the previous week but 25,453 head above the same week last year.

Dec 24 Hogs  closed at $83.800, down $0.575,

Feb 25 Hogs  closed at $85.200, down $0.500

Apr 25 Hogs  closed at $88.100, up $0.050,