Beef futures slide as cutout drops, packer margins shrink - CME Hog futures dip; pork cutout eases to $110.98/cwt18 September 2025 18 September 2025 2 minute read 2 minute read By: By: Global Ag Media North AmericaChicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) live cattle futures fell on Wednesday on softening beef prices and declining profit margins for beef packers, Reuters reported, citing analysts. Commodity funds hold a sizable net long position in cattle futures, leaving the market prone to long liquidation. CME October live cattle futures settled down 2.350 cents at 231.100 cents per pound and December live cattle ended down 2.475 cents at 232.675 cents. With the summer grilling season over, wholesale beef prices have been declining. CME lean hog futures closed slightly lower, following weakness in cattle futures.