Choice boxed beef held flat for a second day at $365.23 (+$0.19/cwt), while Select firmed another $3.43 (about 3¢/lb) to $358.37, squeezing the Choice/Select spread to just $6.86 from $10.10 Monday. Ribs and plates led the primals, but brisket, short ribs, eye of round and the lean grinds gave back Monday's gains, and 73% ground beef fell about 29¢/lb. Beef trade picked up to about 140 loads. Pork was near flat at the carcass level, with picnics and bellies higher and ribs sharply lower.
Moved: up
- Beef cutout: Select $358.37 (+$3.43, about 3¢/lb). Select rib $639.79 (+$22.73, about 23¢/lb) led the Select primals.
- Choice primals higher: rib $679.67 (+$4.86, about 5¢/lb) · plate $222.46 (+$2.90, about 3¢/lb) · round $291.77 (+$0.83) · loin $443.72 (+$0.42).
- Beef cuts up (Choice, ≥20,000 lb traded): Bottom sirloin flap (185A) $738.59 (+$24.20, about 24¢/lb, 41,709 lb) · Chuck flap (116G) $816.58 (+$15.65, about 16¢/lb, 48,281 lb) · Tri-tip (185C) $481.58 (+$13.41, about 13¢/lb, 34,668 lb) · Top inside round (168) $367.30 (+$11.11, about 11¢/lb, 162,760 lb) · Chuck roll (116A) $552.68 (+$5.76, about 6¢/lb) on a heavy 702,092 lb · Outside round (171B) $367.76 (+$2.75, 208,543 lb). Strips (180) $870.77 (+$2.52) and short loins (174) $759.42 (+$0.10) steadied after Monday's big drop.
- Pork (direction only): carcass cutout about flat, slightly higher. Picnics jumped and bellies firmed.
Down / flat
- Choice cutout: $365.23 (+$0.19, about flat). Choice brisket $265.83 (−$4.46, about 4¢/lb), chuck $318.48 (−$1.97) and flank $149.41 (−$1.19) eased.
- Beef cuts lower (Choice, ≥20,000 lb traded): Tri-tip peeled (185D) $665.10 (−$56.36, about 56¢/lb, 20,563 lb) · Heavy ribeye (112A) $1,579.66 (−$53.89, about 54¢/lb, 49,598 lb) · Plate short rib (123A) $669.01 (−$45.76, about 46¢/lb, 43,632 lb) · Brisket deckle-off (120) $376.01 (−$23.53, about 24¢/lb) on a heavy 671,427 lb · Eye of round (171C) $390.06 (−$19.52, about 20¢/lb, 161,395 lb) · Chuck short rib (130) $597.70 (−$18.55, about 19¢/lb, 56,182 lb) · Bone-in lip-on ribeye (109E) $1,395.71 (−$17.24, about 17¢/lb, 402,966 lb) · Top butt (184) $492.82 (−$17.25, about 17¢/lb, 152,620 lb).
- Grinds: 73% ground beef $255.77 (−$28.62, about 29¢/lb, 118,902 lb) · 81% $329.43 (−$7.87, about 8¢/lb, 154,775 lb) · 93% $508.87 (−$4.17) · 85% $411.70 (−$2.11).
- Trim: fresh 50% lean trim $81.20 (−$2.63, about 3¢/lb) on 514,096 lb.
- Thin trade, not counted above: heavy tenderloins (189A) about steady at $1,738.96 on 26,830 lb; clod tenders, top blades and butt tenders fell on under 15,000 lb each.
- Pork (direction only): spareribs/rib primal fell sharply after Monday's rebound, with loins and butts slightly lower and hams about flat.
- Volume: about 140 loads of beef (Choice cuts 104.29, Select 9.10, trimmings 12.85, coarse/ground 14.02), up from ~81 Monday. Pork 283.61 loads, down from 310.84.
Holiday / seasonal buy note
Thanksgiving (Thu Nov 26) is about three weeks out. Strips and short loins held at Monday's lower level, so holiday steak features are still buying well. Brisket and chuck short ribs pulled back, which helps braise and barbacoa programs, and chuck rolls traded heavy for roast and carne asada. Lean grinds and 73% softened, a good spot to cover ground beef features. On pork, picnics are firming, so holiday tamale and pernil buyers who still need coverage may not want to wait. Turkey isn't in these boxed-beef and pork reports. See the holiday buying calendar.
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