Lean hog futures closed with contracts down 15 to 50 cents in the nearbys and July up 75 points. USDA’s national average base hog negotiated price was reported at $94.02 on Thursday afternoon, up $1. The CME Lean Hog Index was another 3 cents higher on May 6, at $90.16.

USDA reported a total of 24,228 MT of pork sold for export in the week ending on May 1, back down from the previous week. Mexico was the buyer of 9,900 MT, with Japan buying 3,500 MT.  Shipments were the second lowest in the calendar year at 25,573 MT. A total of 11,000 MT was destined for 11,000 MT, with 4,400 MT to Japan.

The Thursday afternoon FOB plant pork cutout value was down $1.04/cwt on a carcass basis, at $94.50. The picnic and ham primals were reported higher. Federally inspected hog slaughter from USDA was estimated 484,000 head for Thursday, with a weekly total at 1.922 million head. That was down 16,000 head from the previous week and 15,290 head above the same week last year.

May 25 Hogs  closed at $90.650, down $0.500,

Jun 25 Hogs  closed at $97.175, down $0.150

Jul 25 Hogs  closed at $100.250, up $0.775,