Cattle futures climb on tight supply, strong beef demand - CME Hog markets steady as traders await seasonal slaughter rise20 August 2025 20 August 2025 2 minute read 2 minute read By: By: Global Ag Media North AmericaChicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) cattle futures continued to rise on Tuesday as a tight supply of cattle, surging wholesale beef prices and a decrease in slaughter rates supported prices, Reuters reported, citing traders. CME October live cattle futures ended 0.175 cent higher at 231.35 cents per pound. Despite a sag in equity markets and concerns around consumer demand for beef, one of the priciest sources of protein, American consumers are continuing to purchase beef even as wholesale prices hit near-record highs. Meanwhile, the closure of the US-Mexico border to cattle imports has further constrained an already-tight cattle supply. Lean hog futures spent the session chopping up and down before settling slightly higher as traders awaited a seasonal bounce in hog slaughter.