DTN Early Word Opening Livestock 04/11 06:20

DTN Early Word Opening Livestock 04/11 06:20 Mixed Trade Expected Early Thursday Limited activity is expected early Thursday with cattle and hog markets likely to show mixed price direction in the early minutes of trade. By Rick Kment DTN Analyst Cattle: Steady Futures: Mixed Live Equiv $151.08 +0.56* Hogs: Steady Futures: Mixed Lean Equiv $ 88.76 +0.83** * based on formula estimating live cattle equivalent of gross packer revenue ** based on formula estimating lean hog equivalent of gross packer revenue GENERAL COMMENTS: Light-to-moderate trade developed Wednesday, with most of the activity in the South. This is the third week in a row that cash trade has started on Wednesday, seemingly starting a trend of earlier trade activity. Trade in the South was generally steady from last week's price levels at $124 per cwt. The limited activity in the North was at $204 per cwt, but this is not enough to establish a good market test, as more activity will be seen the next two days. Futures trade has remained sluggish through the week with light-to-moderate pressure developing in nearby and deferred contracts. Follow-through weakness is expected to continue the next couple of days, but traders are also focusing on the potential of mixed trade based on current trading ranges likely to remain intact through most of April.