LIVESTOCK-CME cattle tick lower on technical trading

CHICAGO, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Chicago Mercantile Exchange live and feeder cattle futures ticked lower on Friday on a largely technical setback after futures became overbought, analysts said.

CME April live cattle futures LCJ26 settled 1.425 cent lower to end at 242 cents per pound. April feeder cattle FCJ26 ended 2.6 cents lower to end at 365.05 cents per pound.

Meatpackers lost $356.30 per head of cattle on Thursday, according to Denver-based livestock marketing advisory service HedgersEdge. A strong cash cattle market has continued to push futures higher, though meatpackers may pull back on purchasing given high prices, analysts said.

Choice cuts of beef were priced at $366.70 per hundredweight, up $1.53, according to USDA data.

Select cuts of beef rose 95 cents to $360.74 per cwt. Consumer demand for beef has remained strong, despite record-high beef prices.

Cattle prices have remained supported by a tight cattle supply and the closure of the U.S.-Mexico border to Mexican cattle imports.

On Thursday morning, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported this year's beef exports are down 6% from 2025, though the slump in exports has already been factored into cattle markets, analysts said.

Lean hog futures were little changed.

In boxed pork, the USDA reported pork carcasses at $95.89 per cwt, down 39 cents.

CME April hogs LHJ26 settled 0.225 cent higher at 93.675 cents per pound.