U.S. lean-hog futures ended the week sharply lower as investors grew increasingly cautious that demand is failing expectations that it would overtake supplies. December hog futures closed down 132 to 86.25, February hog futures fell 105 to 89.22.
US. live-cattle futures finished mostly unchanged, reflecting the stalled status of cash markets and the absence of fresh signs for beef demand. December live Cattle closed unchanged at $121, Feeder cattle for January rose 97 to $147
US wheat futures climbed to 2-week highs, driven by traders taking profits on long corn/short wheat spreads. March wheat in Chicago ended up 11 1/4 at $6.25, March wheat in KC climbed 12 1/2 to $6.81.
US corn futures fell on a combination of disappointment about poor export demand and traders unwinding long corn/short wheat spreads, particularly after corn dipped lower than wheat for the first time in weeks. March corn ended down 6 1/4 at $5.95.
US soybean futures bounced Friday, fueled by traders adding some risk premium ahead of the weekend, Soy product futures ended mixed. Jan soy ended up 7 3/4 at $11.35, Jan soy oil ended up 55 at 50.25 and Jan soy meal ended down $0.70 at $288.30.
Cotton traded higher. Dec goes off the board the 7th so volume is thin in that contract. December cotton gained 65 to close at $92.35, and the March contract gained 54 to close at $91.84.
Gold futures finished Friday trading a touch higher after some investors took profits on the early morning rally sparked by strong U.S. employment data. December gold gained $11.20 to close at $1.746, and December silver gained 41 cents to close at $33.03.
Oil futures ended slightly higher Friday after a report said the U.S. unemployment rate fell under 9%, fueling optimism over the economic recovery in the world's largest oil consumer. January crude gained 76 cents to $100.96 a barrel, January gasoline gained 5.83 cents to $2.61 a gallon, and January distillates gained 2.05 cents to $2.99 a gallon.
Natural-gas prices fell 5% Monday as the contract for December delivery expired, giving back almost all of last week's gains as fears of a continued supply glut drained optimism from the market. December nat Gas fell 17.8 cents to $3.36.
Stocks surged more than 7% this week, Wall Street's best performance since 2009, as traders grew hopeful that global policymakers are taking action to tackle Europe's two-year-old debt crisis. The Dow fell a fraction to end the week at 12,019, the Nasdaq closed at 2,626, up a fraction and the S&P 500 fell a fraction, closing at 1,244.
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